Feeling Like Your Weeks Are a Bit of a Rollercoaster?

Feeling like your weeks are a bit of a rollercoaster?

One day you are crushing it and feeling high energy, and the next day it seems like nothing is going right and you're wondering how you'll make it through the day?

You aren't alone. Especially now when our days are often turned upside down and people are already feeling on edge.

This has been my week. I had a couple of days of being super productive and feeling good, and then the last couple of days, it all went sideways.

I barely got done what I wanted on my to-do list, a project I was excited about fell through, and I had little energy left for in the evening. There were some tears and procrastination!

But what is different now than it would have been a few years ago, is that it's just a bad hour or two. The highs and lows are more like blips that don’t throw me too off-course.

That's what building your resilience does for you. You are less fazed by the daily stressors and, when you do face a setback, you can bounce back more quickly.

What helps me to do this?

For me, these days, success is simply how I am showing up each day. It's not finishing the big project or hitting big goals.

It’s being present and kind with the people around me.

It's honoring my boundaries and letting go of feeling behind.

It's striving for excellence and letting each day be enough, no matter how it went.

And, it's appreciating and finding the joy in the day, even if it all went sideways.

Many people define success from external factors – what your company thinks, what society thinks, what other people think, what social media portrays and so on.

A far more powerful question to ask yourself is: What does success look like for YOU?

What will leave you feeling good, fulfilled and a sense of accomplishment each day? What will leave you content with the person you are being?

Because when your actions are not aligned with what you value, it's pretty hard to feel successful inside. Especially when you are on a rollercoaster. For example . . .

• If you finish a project on time, but your team is totally run down, is that success?

• If someone is being mean to you and you lower yourself to their level, is that success?

• If you are amazing in your career, but you have little time and attention for your family, is that success?

• If you face a setback and give up, is that success?

• If you take care of everyone else's needs but run yourself down, is that success?

My definition of success is simply showing up in the way I want to be. And, granting myself grace when I don't. One day at a time.

So, my questions for you as you head off into the weekend . . .

• What does success look and feel like for you?

• What is ONE thing you CAN do this weekend that will fill you up?

• What is ONE thing you CANNOT do because you know will drain you?

 “Success isn't about how your life looks to others. It's about how it feels to you." – Michelle Obama

What Next?

You can sign up for Stacey's masterclass, The Confident "No" here.

Stacey L. Olson is a Leadership and Certified Positive Psychology Coach, has 15 years of corporate experience and has gone through her own transformational change from burning out to balanced in life while performing at a high level (both in her corporate career and own business). She works with professionals who want to work less, live more and be their best even with all the demands, high expectations and messiness of everyday life. Stacey is the founder of The Balanced Leader™ program and offers executive and leadership coaching, workshops, and speaking.