How was last week for you?
If yours was anything like mine, it was a long, weird week. Granted, long and weird may not be the most eloquent way to describe it, but these words perfectly capture how I felt.
Because sprinkled into the mix of some really great highlights and client experiences were some very frustrating moments (more than a typical week).
At first, I thought I was the only one having an “off” week. Turns out, I wasn’t alone.
More than a handful of people I know expressed the same sentiment. And when so many people describe feeling a similar way, at the same time, there must be something in the “air” right?
Well, yes, to some extent this is accurate. After all, there is definitely A LOT going on in the world. But, isn’t this always the case?
I mean, really, in terms of the collective “we,” aren’t we always navigating some crisis or another – be it domestically or internationally or both?
Additionally, aren’t you always navigating something in your life and business?
I don’t have any answers to explain what was behind the universal feeling of weirdness or fatigue that others and I experienced last week. Or why some of us felt it physically, while others felt it mentally, another group emotionally, and a few experienced a combination of all.
But here’s what I do know:
Emotional overload and exhaustion are real.
Especially right now as we all continue to navigate a pandemic and world events. In addition to whatever may be happening on a micro level in our lives and businesses.
And when fatigue enters the picture, your stress levels tend to increase.
When your stress levels increase, making decisions and choices can often become tricky. And when this uncertainty emerges is when you most need to lean into your emotional intelligence (EQ) – particularly regarding financial decisions and choices.
Coming from me, the suggestion to lean into your EQ likely doesn’t surprise you.
However, a sizable segment of the personal finance industry is still deeply steeped in suggestions to prioritize your financial acumen (skills + capabilities) and to dismiss the impact of the influence of your financial emotional intelligence.
Yet, there’s no escaping the truth that how you feel impacts your decision-making process and, thus, the quality of the choices you make.
When things (and times) are weird or you simply feel a bit “off” your game, life around you doesn’t stop; it still goes on.
As well, decisions and choices – financial or otherwise – still need to be made. And while it’d be wonderful if you were able to delay or defer making decisions and choices when you’re not feeling your best or on top of your game, this isn’t always possible.
So, on the off-chance you had a long, weird week, too. Or, to help you navigate the next time you do bump into this sentiment, here are a few tips:
Acknowledge what you’re feeling
Emotions are complex, and they aren’t always easy to describe. Yet, they are always instructive. They can prevent you from acting prematurely and imprudently. And, they can pull you out of the weeds and help you zoom out and remind you to pay attention to the big picture (aka: your why).
Take stock of upcoming financial decisions and choices
The way I see it, part of being financially savvy is knowing when you can defer or delay a financial decision or choice. When you’re feeling fatigued and stressed, one of the best things you can do is check your basics. This check-in will help you determine what you can defer or delay without penalty and what would be too costly to do so. If it falls into the former, opt to take your time and wait.
Examine your constraints
I doubt if you’re walking around dreaming of being thrown “off” your game, or waiting excitedly for things or times to be weird. But when this does happen, it is often an invitation to challenge your current constraints so you can determine whether they are helping or hindering you.
What is this moment in time bringing to your attention about your constraints – be it financial, energetic, or creative? Or, as regards your time.
In my case, last week exposed a financial and operational vulnerability in my business. You best believe it is being addressed!
Embrace the Weird?
I hope not to have another long, weird week for quite some time. But I know there will be another time. I just don’t know when it’ll happen. The same is true for you, too. Because as a friend once told me, “we all get our turn.”
Yes, I am grateful for last week’s highs. But this time around, they didn’t override what made it emotionally exhausting. So, it wasn’t my most fun one. Nevertheless, both my business acumen and EQ have been sharpened as a result of.
Perhaps weird isn’t so bad…ah, there’s nuance entering the picture again.
And that’s the thing, right? There is often a great deal of wisdom embedded in the moments when you feel overloaded, exhausted, and stressed. Your job (and mine) is to not let the reality of those feelings cause you to miss the insight that comes with.
After all, the quality of your choices and the clarity needed to notice the options available to you depend on you continuing to raise your financial and emotional IQ! Both when your week feels long and weird, or short and pleasing 🙂
