The sun shines brightly, the sky is blue, the wind blows gently on your face and November – March is the best time to have several dates with nature. I enjoy hiking and being up, close and personal with nature.

I went on a hike on Sunday and it was up one of the shortest but steepest peaks in Hong Kong. The path was gravelly with the downhill more challenging than the uphill.

With each of these hikes along a gravelly downhill path, I can’t help but think about life and the challenging moments she throws at us.

I tread the path downhill with care, caution yet overcoming the fear that I will go tumbling down. That is where focus, mindfulness and believing in myself helps a lot. How similar is this to life in the down and out moments?

I have also observed that people whom I meet in these hikes are friendly, smiling, willing to help and appear more relaxed and filled with eagerness to reach the top of the hill and explore their own fitness or new routes or adventures. You’ll most likely have an exactly opposite experience in the hum drum of the city if you were to bump into the same person on a week day near the office.

How can we bring this human touch to a manic day ?
How do we live life and enjoy the moments that she blesses us with ?
What has each reconnection with nature taught me ?

1. Saying “please”, “thank you”, “sorry” honestly, sincerely and spontaneously. Smile because you don’t need a reason.
2. Give honest and sincere appreciation to people whom you work with and to your near and dear ones.
3. Replying to emails or returning phone calls because you care and you can show you care.
4. Walking away when a negative emotion arises and not falling prey to that vulnerable moment.
5. Forgive even when someone has hurt you not for them but for you to heal.
6. Challenge yourself, step out of your comfort zone, grow and develop but learn to be compassionate with yourself.
7. When you are alone watch your thoughts and when you are with others watch your words.
8. Being committed to your word to others because you care for your character.
9. Recognizing your ideal self and invoking essence of hope and compassion.
10. Doing a random act of kindness to another human being or creature.
11. Reading a good book as a regular habit.
12. Spending time with Nature in the form of hikes, treks, swimming, rafting, sky diving and various other outdoor activities.
13. Spending quality time with family and friends and doing it often.
14. Lighting aromatic candles in your home and decorating your home with bright colors.
15. Listening to understand and not to respond.

Each downturn or challenging moment in work or life although similar to the gravelly narrow path downhill seems to be more stressful. Whilst what life throws at us is not entirely within our control the attitude we take is entirely within our control.

I remind myself of some of the 15 points that I have mentioned, in my down and vulnerable moments.

→Resonant leaders are those who are emotionally self-aware, socially intelligent and have the cognitive intelligence.
→What do you do to not fall a victim to your moment of stress ?
→How are you becoming resonant leaders?

For Coaching, Facilitating and Speaking Connect. About Lalita Raman