The Value of Serenity in My Business & My Life

by Dr. Bob
(Sedona, AZ)

The personal core value of serenity is a key ingredient to my professional and personal effectiveness. As a business owner and a consultant, I work with several clients ranging from medium to enterprise-sized firms. It is not unusual to receive phone calls or emails with emergency requests with short time frames. Earlier in my business life, I would often be stressed out by such events, jumping into action, scurrying to get this or that piece of information or a dataset, or generating phone calls in search of the information my clients needed.

What I have learned over the years is that my serenity is my most valuable asset or personal core value and that if I lose my serenity I experience chaos instead. I cannot think well; I cannot plan what I need to do; thoughts rush around and take over my life in those moments. At these moments, I can be full of judgment.--being angry at myself for being upset and being angry at others for disturbing me.

What I have learned to do now is sit back, take a deep breath, and take a few minutes to be grateful--grateful for my clients, grateful for the work I have, grateful to be of service.

And in taking a deep breath, and literally counting my blessings and being grateful for them, I am able to realize that no one appointed me judge or jury. I simply relax a little and accept the situation that is in front of me, exactly as it is, regardless of how I may feel about it or what thoughts are rushing about in regard to it. I don't have to change it (I can't anyway.) I don't have to fix it. I don't have to do anything about it. I simply accept. And that is the key to my serenity. Only from serenity is it even possible for me to take effective action.