Leadership is often equated with authority and power. But there’s a different kind of leadership that starts with understanding ourselves. This is called conscious self-leadership. It’s about knowing who you are, what you stand for, and leading with kindness both towards yourself and others. But how do we become leaders of our own lives in a way that’s true to ourselves and helpful to those around us?
In this article, we’ll explore the concept of becoming a conscious self-leader with Executive Coach Indira Kennedy. Indira is a pioneer of conscious leadership and multi-award winner for her commitment to inspiring and informing the next wave of more awakened and empowered leadership.
Since 2003, Indira has been actively inspiring people globally with her passion and practical knowledge of ways to elevate our own consciousness and how to apply these principles for more awakened empowerment of people and purpose in the workplace.
For Indira, conscious self-leadership is more than a concept; it’s a practice that enriches both our personal and professional lives. It’s all about putting our love into action and empowering others to do the same.
“We need to remember who we are. First, that we are spiritual beings with a higher purpose. We are here to learn love, and remember that we are physical beings, human beings. We need to look after ourselves across all three levels: physical, emotional, and mental.”
– Indira Kennedy
The Five Realities of Conscious Self-Leadership
Conscious self-leadership is about looking inside to really know what you stand for and using that knowledge to guide yourself and those around you. But how exactly do we do this? Indira shares the 5 realities of conscious leadership that’ll help us become better leaders of ourselves:
- Reality 1: Remembrance.
This is about remembering that we’re not just here to eat, sleep, and work. We have a bigger purpose and we are spiritual beings. We need to take care of our whole selves – our physical, emotional, and mental aspects.
- Reality 2: Radiance.
Radiance asks us to think about the kind of energy we’re putting out into the world. Are we sharing positivity and love? It’s about making sure our actions resonate with the love and truth that reside in our hearts.
- Reality 3: Resonance.
Are our thoughts, feelings, and actions in harmony? This reality urges us to be authentic and intuitive. Resonance is finding harmony between our inner voice and outer expression.
- Reality 4: Resolution.
This reality is all about being resolved to fulfill our life’s purpose and making lasting commitments to our goals.
- Reality 5: Ritual.
These are the little things you do every day that keep you on track with your goals. It could be anything from a morning jog to writing in a journal. These habits help you stay focused and live out the truths you believe in.
Nurturing the Self to Empower Others
In our busy lives, it’s easy to overlook our spiritual health and the deeper meaning in our daily activities, especially at work. This can lead to feeling disconnected from ourselves and the world around us. The key is to gently shift our attention back to our own well-being. This emphasizes one of Indira’s 5 realities of conscious self-leadership practices, which is Remembrance, which is all about remembering who we are.
Saying “it’s me first” isn’t about being selfish; it’s about making sure we’re in a good place so that we can be there for others too. It’s really about finding a healthy balance. This approach helps us become more genuine, conscious leaders in every part of our lives, not just at work. When we look after ourselves, we’re better equipped to support and understand those around us, and we radiate more of our love and truth.
Aligning Our Actions with Our Truth
At the heart of conscious self-leadership lies another powerful concept called Radiance, which is all about the energy we give off to the world. What kind of energy do you give off to the world? It should ideally be in harmony with the love and truth in our hearts. This means our actions should reflect our emotions, ethics, values, and our deeper spiritual or personal beliefs.
As per Indira, our heart is key in practicing this concept, as it acts as a bridge connecting our physical existence with our higher selves. It helps us understand what’s really important to us. By listening to the wisdom of our hearts, we unlock the ability to make choices that genuinely mirror our true selves and our deepest values. In doing so, we embrace and embody the essence of our being, which at its core, is made of love. This leads us to live authentically and compassionately, positively impacting those around us.
Rekindling Love and Forgiveness
As kids, we naturally know how to love and forgive easily, but as adults, we often forget how to do this. But as Indira and Ashish highlight, it’s possible to get this ability back. At our core, love and forgiveness are integral parts of who we are; it’s a matter of reconnecting with our true selves. So, the question arises: how can we actively practice forgiveness?
- Recognize Emotions – Identify and acknowledge the feelings you’re experiencing, whether it’s anger, grief, or something else. Be honest with yourself about what you’re feeling.
- Journaling – Write down your thoughts and feelings without judgment. This helps in processing emotions and gaining clarity about the situation and your reactions to it.
- Visualization for Release – Imagine a process where you symbolically cut ties with the pain or the person causing it. This could be using a golden pair of scissors to cut a cord, symbolizing the act of forgiveness and release.
- Self-compassion – Acknowledge your actions or thoughts, and then consciously forgive yourself, releasing any negative feelings like fear or resentment.
- Focus on Compassion – Shift your attention to feelings of love and kindness towards yourself and others.
Forgiveness isn’t about forgetting what happened; it’s more about letting go of the hurt so we can feel better and move on. By learning to forgive and love again, we can handle life’s ups and downs in a kinder, more understanding way. The best way to be a strong and conscious self-leader is to hold onto our ability to love and forgive, both others and ourselves.
“Forgiveness is not forgetfulness. Forgiveness is an act we give to ourselves and to the other as a choice to move on from it.”
– Ashish Kothari.
Conclusion
Remember, conscious self-leadership starts with being true to ourselves. We need to make sure our actions and words really match what we believe inside. When our actions echo our inner truth, we are fueled with a greater purpose, an impactful ‘why’. With this, every single thing we do, and every step we take towards fulfilling our goals and promises to ourselves becomes more meaningful, helping us grow as individuals and leaders.
“People sometimes take medication, take vitamins, and do practices without actually understanding the ‘why’. Really understanding the meaning behind it is crucial so when you actually practice it and do it, there’s substance to your practice.”
– Anil Ramjiani
Indira, a leader in conscious thinking and winner of several awards for inspiring the next generation of empowered leaders, has been making a global impact since 2003. Using her passion and practical know-how, she motivates people to raise their awareness and applies these ideas to empower individuals and bring purpose to the workplace.
Learn more about Indira at her website and LinkedIn.
Listen to the podcast with Ashish, Anil, and Indira below.
Access and subscribe to all of the episodes of the Happiness Squad Podcast here.
Visit the REWIRE Program powered up by the HAPPINESS SQUAD Community and experience your shift within your 30-day risk-free trial today. Cultivate your Self-Awareness, Gratitude, Purpose, Community, and personal growth more through the 9 Hardwired for Happiness practices. Integrate simple and proven micro-practices grounded in the science of happiness and neuroscience of habit formation in 5 minutes a day.
Make Happiness Your Competitive Edge.
