In and Out of Alignment
This month at Lead True, we are focusing on “alignment” and what it means to be in alignment with yourself, others, your job, and your life. Two very clear and common applications of “alignment” occur for many of us: getting the tires on our vehicles aligned and getting a chiropractic alignment. In both cases, when an area is out of alignment, it has a significant and unhealthy impact on the entire entity. Wheels out of alignment cause a car to pull to one side, can be dangerous, and is certainly not fuel efficient. A back or neck out of alignment starts to impact other muscles as other body parts try to overcompensate. Again, the end result is less than ideal and an inefficient use of our energy and resources.
At Lead True we remind ourselves that it is very human to fall out of alignment periodically. And the process of realigning ourselves starts with the awareness that things are feeling challenging or that we are not happy with our results in a particular area of life. At that point, we can begin to make choices that enable us to feel and act in a way that demonstrates our values and our unique personal gifts. We know that by acting in a way that feels downstream, we will generate momentum and create even more energy and positive results.
This view to the left shows us a simple visual of what it might look like to be in and out of alignment. (Image from Wikipedia.) How can we know what parts and areas of our life are in need of adjusting? Take a look at the following key areas and ask yourself these questions.
Your physical self; e.g., your back, hips, or other parts of your body: Do you feel your body is working effectively? Are you happy with it?
Your health and financial security: Are you acting in ways that are or are not aligned with your long-term hopes and desires?
Your goals and aspirations: Are you ready to reset your expectations and intentions for the next phase of your life?
Your relationships: Are all of your relationships continuing to serve you?
Your career: Is what you do for a living inspiring and does it add energy to your life?
These are important questions to look at to understand where or if you are currently feeling out of alignment. Some of us may have one or two areas that require a minor tweak or two. Some of us may feel like all of these areas (plus more) are out of sync. The way to tell if you are out of alignment is to look at each area and ask yourself: Are you happy with how this is going? It is a simple question. You get to determine if your life is going in the direction you intend. You get to choose if the things and people you are spending your time on are worthwhile. You get to decide if you are living out your values.
Take a few moments and ask yourself these questions. If you like what you see, I’m confident you’ll feel in alignment. If you don’t like your answers, the good news is that you can make some minor modifications (just like a chiropractor) to your life so that things start to feel more downstream. Knowing what you want and recognizing if you are on the path to getting what you want are the first two steps. Then it’s up to you to make the adjustments.
About the Author
Elizabeth Ruske brings all aspects of her background and expertise to her work. This includes marketing, sales, business development, client services, strategic partnering, coaching, consulting and leadership development. She is known as a creative strategic thinker who embodies a win-win approach in every situation.
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