Vacant space used to be a forced reality. We had choices during these moments: eye contact with a stranger, noticing the beauty around us, daydreaming, time to think, margin to create, time to rest our brains, and agenda-free human connection.

Our culture is currently experiencing the greatest deficiency in history of real human-to-human connection.

Make a point to slow down and look up at the world more and at screens less.

I hope we both are looking up more and have a chance to share an affirming nod for our effort to reclaim margin and offer the world our greatest gifts: presence and connection.

Managing emotions is a go-to strategy for parents, educators, business leaders, performance coaches, pastors, etc. The advice is primarily well-intended but often falls short in execution.

As a very evolved species, we are driven to solve problems and perfect the processes and systems that drive human performance.

Using our collective intelligence to evolve and innovate is essential, but it can work against us when we obsessively chase efficiently at the cost of humanity.

Controlling emotion begins at our earliest developmental stages when we become hard-wired not to experience or express certain feelings.

Denying our ability to feel emotion creates guarded relationships leading to an unconscious avoidance of self and others that further drives the cultural norm and false narrative most of us are taught from birth.

There are no good or bad emotions. There are only emotions.

How we learn to identify, embrace and process our feelings has everything to do with our internal lived experiences and external peace of mind.

Controlling emotions perpetuates a notion that we also need control over ourselves and others to experience value. Control creates abuse of power, abusive relationships, and abusive influence.

Don’t manage your emotions; learn to collaborate with them.

"Avoiding your emotions is more exhausting than feeling them." milesadcox

Collaboration invites connection; connection invites influence; influence empowers agency and allows us to embrace, love, nurture, and work with our emotions instead of trying to control them.

Management theory is effective but can be as dated and out of touch as many change theories. Polarity, dehumanization, and unresolved tension will continue until we stop trying to manage one another and start seeing and accepting each other.

Competition is natural, especially when resources are limited, but it’s better suited for sports or business. We don't need opposition; we need connection.

Control restricts humanity; collaboration allows it to breathe.

In honor of #mentalhealthawarenessmonth we are reminded of our powerful panel with Gold & Platinum certified singer Joanna and #mentalwellness expert milesadcox. Now is the perfect time to “check in” on each other. 🎧 to the full panel ➡️: bit.ly/3vZKISl

“Public professions create abnormal life circumstances…” says #mentalwellness expert milesadcox in conversation with G&P certified artist Joanna. Hear how these circumstances create stress & ultimately challenge creativity: bit.ly/3vZKISl #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth