Happy new year, friends!
This week is a bit of a special edition. It’s the very first newsletter of 2021, a year that carries much hope for us all (whether you’re into “Year of Aquarius, “have we reached rock bottom yet” or “let’s embrace the glorious 20s” mode). It is also the very first dispatch to bear my whole new branding. And this is the very first newsletter that I publish both in English and in French (fun fact: although I’m as French as can be, I’m much more comfortable drafting in English that in French, occasional mistakes and cultural bloopers included!)
Now, tell me did you get a chance to unwind? To recharge your batteries? To reconnect with our inner selves? To let go of 2020 and its weird twists?
At the turn of every year, just before I get into my half-day of year planning, I do my very own annual review, with the good, the bad, the ugly – and the unexpected. This year was full of surprises to say the least so I highly encourage you to go through the process of reviewing your experiences of 2020. Turn that page. Be lighter and free-er to plan for the future as well (I have a whole Masterclass on the topic available for free HERE).
In this newsletter, I want to tell you about some of my latest reads, about the beauty of having an emergency toolbox to turn border-line situations into good stress and what’s happening at B.right Brains.
Enjoy the read and hit reply if you have any questions, feedback, or want to say hello!
Bright Brains Book Club
I stole (not-so discreetly) the book Career Clarity from my husband’s bedside table last week. I was lucky enough to meet the author Lisa Lewis Miller last year and was absolutely enthused by her innate passion for her career transformation coaching work. Her podcast is a gem. Her book is a must read if a career pivot is on the horizon for you.
What did you read in 2020 that positively impacted your life? What did you learn? Who do you think should read that book? I feel like hosting a Instalive on the 26th of January at 10h am EST for a cosy conversation around all the books we loved this year. Will you join me? Find me on Instagram at @alexiabbco and let’s chat!
Brain Fatigue Emergency Toolbox
I was listening to an episode of Brené Brown’s excellent Unlocking Us podcast when it hit me: Brain Fatigue. That was it! It was just what I was experiencing then as we were about to welcome 2021. Too much of too much. The constant mind reconfiguration and extreme brain malleability that was required from us in 2020, the constant flow of energy (positive and negative), the not-knowing, the slight guilt of feeling great …
As a former lawyer turned coach for entrepreneur and business development expert, I’m all about transformative progress, intuitive work and alignment with your true self. Which is so so very essential to be(come) a thriving entrepreneur. But I know that I have a tendency to forget about new habits once I believe that I have mastered them or fully integrated them into my daily practice. I know how easily my brain can fool me (and I know that it’s not just happening to me!). But because I do not like to be fooled, I have assembled my very own emergency toolbox over the years: a few articles, radio shows, blog posts, studies, tried and tested mindset shifts, life hacks and food tricks. All carefully archived for me to turn to when needed.
This way, whenever I feel (as I did over the first few days of January) that I’m somewhat struggling to be my true self, I turn to my emergency toolbox and go back to the basics that I know work well for me. And this worked like a charm for my cas of Brain Fatigue.
Do you have one of those emergency kits? Feel free to take from mine! Here are a couple of brilliant resources straight out of my emergency toolbox (neuroscience compartment):
Beware of your chronobiology (inner clock)!
Just. Get.Things.Going!
Activation energy: the chemistry of getting started by Anne-Laure Le Cunff (a 5 min read), founder of NessLab (a lab for your mind with neuroscience-based content and conversation)
“In chemistry, activation energy is the energy that must be provided to result in a chemical reaction. The more energy is needed, the harder it is to start the chemical reaction. In work and life as well, we sometimes need to get over the initial hump of getting started.”
Stop time!
The Art of Stopping Time: Practical Mindfulness for Busy People, by Pedram Shojai is a treasure trove of suggestions for reclaiming control of your time, moving through life more consciously and getting more out of life. I’m a big fan of everything the Urban Monk writes, and this is one that I often recommend to my clients.
Cut back on distractions!
Beat Back Distractions: The Neuroscience Of Getting Things Done by Dr. David Rock (a 7 min read) Founder of the Neuroleadership Institute
“The challenge is that we have not realized the true cost of distractions: they use up what turns out to be a limited supply of attention each day. Distractions also make us far less effective.”
Bright news
Here’s a sneak peek into what’s going on behind the scenes at B.right Brains:
– A brand new website! A website conceptualized by Oh Sésame, designed and illustrated by In A Nutshell. I love how this new website showcases my different activities as a coach for entrepreneur, business development adviser, a writer and speaker in such a sleek and relax manner!
– I created THE perfect Year Planning kit (year planning made easy, impactful, intuitive and fun):
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- A Wall Year Planner to be downloaded for those who, like me, enjoy the art of planning their year, as opposed to having their year planned out for them (click HERE)
- A (free) masterclass on Planning Your Year the Serene & Impactful Way (catch the replay HERE – available for the whole of January)
- A 3-day Planning Party to guide you through all the steps of planning your year with intention (click HERE – doors open until the end of January – next Live Q&A session will be on Jan 12th for those who subscribe now).
– Small Group Coaching for Aligned Entrepreneurs (intensive) : The next round of small group intensive coaching will start in March 2021. Are you a business owner? A solopreneur? An entrepreneur (confirmed or on the way to become one)? Are you curious to know more about the program? Then send me an email and let’s chat info@brightbrainsco.com
Thanks you for your time, thank you for your trust.
Alexia
