57. How to own your mood - with Rachel Edmondson-Clarke - leadership psychologist

Rachel Edmondson-Clarke's journey from her receptionist in her mother's hair salon via collapsing on the boardroom floor to her mission driven coaching practice today is a voyage to behold.

She sold me on the idea that we have to pay attention to and manage our moods as well as our emotions. (Pay attention to the difference here!).

She has quite the turn of phrase: listening to the Whispers on her heart; making her soul's contract and more...

In our conversation, we dug right into the importance of emotional intelligence, the challenges of transitioning into leadership roles, and the quest for personal significance over success. Rachel's story is a testament to the power of self-discovery and the courage to follow your heart's whispers!  Unless that's a signal to visit your cardiologist - in which case I take no responsibility...

Key Takeaways:

The Power of Emotional Intelligence: Rachel's early years in her mother's salon taught her to read people and adjust her approach based on their mood. 

Transitioning into Leadership: Rachel shared her experience of moving into leadership roles within her teams, emphasising the importance of building credibility and gaining trust.

Seeking Significance over Success: Rachel's life took a turn when she decided to seek significance rather than success. She encourages us all to find work that brings fulfillment and passion.

The Concept of Ikigai: We discussed the idea of ikigai - finding the intersection of what you love, what you're good at, what society values, and what makes money. Rachel beautifully refers to it as her soul's contract.

The Importance of Self-Care: Rachel and I explored the importance of recognising and managing moods, and the role of self-care practices in maintaining balance.

Rachel's Mission in Six Words: "Remembering potential, realising dreams, and restoring balance." 

Rachel also shared her current projects, her leadership role in the Professional Speaking Association, and a book recommendation - "Atomic Habits" by James Clear.

Find Rachel here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachaeledmondsonclarke/

https://www.facebook.com/rachael.edmondson.clarke 

https://www.tiktok.com/@rachael_edmondson_clarke

Rachel's book list: https://www.dropbox.com/s/5iwbbmy38ygo1s2/Books%20that%20changed%20my%20life.pdf?dl=0

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Becoming a People Manager (00:01:04) Rachel reflects on her early experience of managing people at her mother's salon and the skills she learned in reading and adjusting to people's moods.

Challenges of Leadership (00:04:50) Rachel discusses the challenges she faced when transitioning from being a team member to leading the team, including building credibility and navigating relationships.

Realizing the Desire for a Life's Mission (00:08:21) Rachel shares the moment she decided to shift from seeking success in her career to seeking significance and finding her life's mission.

The stepping stones across a misty lake (00:09:22) Rachel describes her journey of finding her life's mission and the process of discovering her passion and purpose.

The soul's contract (00:10:34) Rachel and Paul discuss the concept of ikigai and finding one's life's mission or soul's contract.

The decision point (00:15:19) Rachel shares a significant moment in her life where she experienced an anxiety attack and realized that something needed to change in her life.

The importance of mood and its impact on our lives (00:17:29) Rachel discusses the difference between emotions and moods, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and understanding our moods and how they can affect our daily lives.

The role of basic biological factors in mood (00:18:24) Rachel highlights the significance of basic biological factors such as eating, sleeping, getting daylight, and movement in maintaining a positive mood and overall well-being.

The need for self-care and restoration to prevent burnout (00:23:36) Rachel emphasizes the importance of self-care and restoration, including sleep, nutrition, spending time with loved ones, and engaging in activities that bring joy, to prevent burnout and maintain a healthy stress level.

Remembering Potential, Realizing Dreams, and Restoring Balance (00:26:00) Rachel discusses the six words that define her journey and life's mission, emphasizing the constant and never-ending process of remembering potential, realizing dreams, and restoring balance.

Book Recommendation: Atomic Habits by James Clear (00:27:09) Rachel suggests "Atomic Habits" as a great book for people interes