A word that’s coming up lately for myself and my clients is reset You might recall around mid-2020 – in response to the emerging consequences of our global pandemic – there was some talk of a Great Reset. This was part of a macro-level statement by Prof Klaus Schwab, head of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in June 2020. He is quoted as saying that we were in a situation where we had a “window of opportunity to reflect, reimagine, and reset our world to create a healthier, more equitable, and more prosperous future.” (source:” BBC.com/news/blogs)
As soon as this came into public discourse the concept became highly polarised and relegated by many to that category of ‘things we don’t discuss because they’re too controversial and there’s too much noise obscuring the facts’.
Nevertheless, as we approach the end of 2021, we as individuals are well into our process of re-emergence, adapting to the changes that we have made, working with the consequences of those changes, wondering what lies ahead and how to engage with this new reality in a way that will be – personally, financially, socially and in other ways – rewarding. The idea of needing a reset is coming up, often as a desire to put the recent past behind us and get on with something new, more optimistic, fresher.
This article explores the concept of resetting and helps explain why – when it comes to the bigger things like your business, career, life and working with a team – reset is a process not an event. You can skip straight to the 3 phases and 5 tips for reset here, if pressed for time. (link to section further down)
Many clients have asked recently for coaching or planning sessions pre-Christmas break, focused on the theme of resetting. They know that it’s not going to be the kind of reset that you might think of when using the metaphor of resetting your computer or other electronic device. They are in fact preparing to enter a reset process as the new year unfolds.
Dictionary definitions of the word ‘reset’ are sparse in detail. “To set, adjust, or fix in a new or different way” is the usual sense, as though it refers to a moment or event, that can be completed in one action. You make the decision, press that metaphorical button and ‘voila!’ your reset is done, your mindset is rebooted and your life is oh, so, rosy! (ah no, not usually).
Looking at the -set part of the word re-set, we see richer definition. My Oxford Dictionary has several columns across two pages to unpack this little word. In addition to the common uses of the word e.g. to ‘harden’, to ‘arrange’, to ‘impose (work) on’…there are other meanings such as:
- setting a precious stone (after cleaning away the debris from its previous life)
- put a seed or plant in the ground to grow
- set forth on a journey
- and many more
I found a beautiful description of the reset process in a blog by Becca Ehrlich, where the meaning she chose was ‘to simplify and remove those things that do not support the aspects of life that matter most to us. We are resetting our lives in how we use our resources, our time, and our energy. This new river (of life) has a current, and it’s moving us in a direction where, even when awfulness happens, we can still appreciate the water’ and the mystery that is unfolding (from https://christianminimalism.com/author/becca/)
If you want to do a reset with something important, I encourage you to take a broader view and research the root word ‘set’ for yourself, to see which version fits best with the concept of reset that most resonates for, or inspires you.
Whether you are called to step into a ‘reset’ session with me or prefer to follow your own process, here are some steps I will be using with clients, that may also help you on your way.
For a business, team, career, lifestyle or any reset
there are 3 phases:
Prepare – Envision – Activate
and there are 6 sub-steps.
The following steps are interweaved throughout the 3-phase process.
Step 1: Release
– look at the activities, habits, emotions, attachments and judgements that are no longer serving you, bless their contribution and the learnings they have provided, then begin allowing them to fall away. What do you need complete, hand over, pause or discard at this time?
Step 2: Receive
– this is a time of non-action, for rest, pleasure, contemplation, healing and allowing spaciousness for integration as well as new incoming energy.
Step 3: Reconnect
– with your life-force, your purpose, the higher intelligence, your spirituality, the voice of wisdom that has been waiting for you. Your sense of belonging, your heart.
Step 4: Refocus
– remembering what is truly important, where your light shines brightest, what you are fascinated by, the dreams you still have and want to give life to. This is where a sense of intention and purpose gains clarity. You start to see possibilities, the way ahead and what the next steps need to be.
Step 5: Reorganise
– this is where plans are articulated and explored. This is where models are tested, resources are identified, commitments assessed and negotiated, communications prepared and action begins.
Step 6: Reset!
– now you know what you’re moving into, you have many of the pieces ready and an executable plan, you can press that button!
NOTES:
- For some people, the steps and phases might be linear and for others it may follow a more nuanced pathway.
- The Phase of Preparation can overlap with Envision as we move into Step 2 or Envision may come later in steps 4 or 5.
- Sometimes we will need to loop back a couple of times until Step 5 is complete.
- Some parts you may want to do alone and others with your team, harvesting multiple inputs and generating buy-in as you proceed. Let me know if you require facilitation with this.
I’d love to hear how you get on with using this process. Please email me or contact us to share your experience with a reset process for something significant in your world and let me know if you would like us to share it!
Some final words from Nelson Mandela “There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”
