For some reason I have a word of the year for 2023. Never has that happened before, as I am not a fan of new years resolutions, nor the practice of choosing a single word for the year. But as we turned the page from 2022 to 2023, there it was staring me right in the face: PACE

Not the salsa (although Pace salsa is a staple in the Johnson household). The other kind. The way we live our lives. How we run. Or walk. Or sprint. My desire for a better pace in 2023 was driven by a demanding first half of 2022. It was a great run for sure, and it also wore me out. Gratefully I was able to recover in the second half. Then decided I wasn't going to to that to my body again.

Nor was I going to lose my peace. Once again I learned that when we have a demanding pace, we can often lose our peace. No Pace, No Peace. As I have reflected on this, I also realized the impact of Pace on Power. No doubt you heave heard the phrase, "no peace no power." So when we combine them all...no pace, no peace, no power it means that we can give away power when our pace gets out of whack. And that is quite concerning!

Power, is a concept we discuss in our workshop, Women Moving Forward®. This includes the types of power, the difference between power and authority, and the fact that we are responsible for not giving our power away. One way I can ensure doing that is to work on my Pace. How? Here are a few ideas:

• Understand the Impact: We know over working our bodies is not a good thing. But for many that concept never gets personal. Two excellent books on this subject are: The Body Keeps Score, by Bessel Van Der Kolk and Dying for a Paycheck, by Jeffery Pfeffer. I suggest you check them out, especially if you find yourself working more than 48 hours/week as a practice.
• Assess the Plate: Regularly looking at what we have on our plates, how it got there and what needs to be cleared off is an important process. I used to do this once per year, and am now finding I need to do this more often. If you struggle with saying no, or not clear on the "Why" behind the "What" you are doing, consider looking at your life purpose to help prioritize.
• Plan for Recovery: Most of use are really good at planning for things in preparation...but how often to you also build in recovery time? A favorite book of mine from many years back is The Power of Full Engagement, by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. They share some great tips/tools that I still apply to this day, focusing on managing energy vs time, for optimal performance.

How about you? What are your best ideas and practices that help you maintain your Pace? I hope 2023 is off to a fabulous start, and may it be filled with good pace, peace and power!

"Take a rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop." - Ovid