One of the most powerful exercises we use in the Peak Resilience Accelerator is ‘time-travel.’ It’s a way to view and handle your current workplace challenges, but from a different time in your life.
Clients say it’s a tool that stays with them far longer than the time we spend together. Indeed, they even come back saying it’s helped them through future workplace challenges!
I’d even go as far to say that taking this more optimistic mindset could actually extend your longevity; something that is borne out in the research.
Lauren was one such client, who had a narcissistic boss, Tom.
Dealing With Bad Bosses
Tom provided more than his fair share of workplace challenges for Lauren!
He was routinely difficult to her, and his cutting comments took up far too much of her headspace.
I asked Lauren: ‘Using the perspective we’ve discussed, what would your older, wiser self say about your situation with Tom?’
Quick as a flash she replied: ‘If I can’t influence or change it; I need to work around it.’
Indeed, working around Tom, and not taking every ‘no’ from his constant negating of her ideas as gospel, kept her sane.
Lauren explained that she could often find other people to support her. She remembered the empathy for herself we’d been working on.
She laughed: ‘My older wiser self reminds me most of this stuff doesn’t matter – and when I compare what I’m doing now with what my 18 year old self thought I’d be able to do, I’m already knocking it out of the park!’
If These Workplace Challenges Sound Familiar, Ask Yourself:
- How would your older, wiser self want you to look back at this situation?
- What would your 18 year-old self say about all that you have done so far?
Inspired by the question, Lauren then recounted how much progress she had been able to make on challenges Tom had not initially seen as worthwhile.
She explained that as time progressed, Tom grudgingly saw her ideas had merit. Lauren even admitted Tom had started asking her opinion on things in a way he hadn’t in months previous to the PRA.
From Headaches to Harmony
When Lauren reflected on this, she recalled: ‘Oh, and I forgot to tell you, I was the only one on my team to get the pay raise!’
She continued: ‘Tom actually had to advocate for it, so maybe things aren’t as terrible as they often feel.’
Lauren joked: ‘Some of my biggest headaches and workplace challenges have been eradicated – plus I can actually work with Tom now!’
If you’d like to enjoy the health benefits that those with high levels of Positive Intelligence enjoy – including perhaps even longevity – I’d love to help you set up a PRA group for your workplace.
So. if a potentially longer life with a more optimistic default position sounds good, get in touch with me at .
