🤒 How are you feeling about work lately?

Hi Friends,

In Friday’s Time Well Spent, my newsletter for small business owners, I shared an article from

Rosie Spinks

that mirrors what I hear in quiet conversations among friends. She says, “Everyone I know is worried about work,” whether “finding a job, keeping the one they have, or what will happen when the work they do no longer exists.”

Does that ring true for you? It’s a chaotic time . . . but, then again, I’ve been saying that for a decade now. “If change is the only constant, let’s get better at it” has been my mantra since Pivot launched in 2016; but still, many of us are seeing the direct impact of artificial intelligence on our work in ways good, bad, and ugly—and aren’t quite sure what world we’re pivoting into, making planning feel extra opaque.

The New York Times published a depressing piece about Gen Xers’ career meltdowns, “It’s the end of work as we knew it.” I’m a geriatric Millennial and latch-key kid, so right there on the cusp. I’d love to hear from you in the poll below . . . 🔘

🤒 How are you feeling about work these days?

Because I’m curious if there’s a work context and/or generational component, please also tell us your current employment status and what cohort you’re part of (even if you believe that “dividing lines between generations are a figment of our collective imagination.”)¹

*Voting will be open for one week, and your votes are anonymous. Also: Substack polls have very limited character counts and max out at only five options, so forgive me if these don’t quite cover where you’re coming from!

Now let’s examine the next energizer (or not) in our Strengthscope series . . .

💪 Strengthscope Deep Dive: Emotional Control

Is emotional control an energizer or a drainer for you?

🔋 If emotional control energizes you, you pride yourself on being a source of strength in the midst of chaos. Under stress, you remain calm and productive.

• Who annoys you: People who are impulsive, excitable, and readily display their emotions, even in a work setting or with people they don’t know well.

• Who is annoyed by you: People who are more passionate, enthusiastic, or emotionally open may see you as dispassionate and aloof, given that you don’t share your emotions and feelings as openly.

🥵 When in overdrive: You may come across as dispassionate and aloof, possibly even numbing out or ignoring emotional signals so that you don’t have to face their message and/or impact.

• Reframe it by reflecting: What might be the benefit of opening up to others? How can I share my thoughts and feelings in a way that still feels safe?

🪫 If emotional control is a drainer for you: You may come across as overly emotive and too sensitive, openly sharing your feelings and emotions without considering the impact on those around you.

• Reframe it by reflecting: What energizers help me stay grounded in the face of stressful situations or high-stakes conversations? What helps me reset afterward?

📊 Get to Know Your Significant Seven Energy-Strengths

If you want to dive deeper into the 24 energy-strengths, including an assessment that will show your biggest energizers and drainers:

• Individuals: Purchase the Strengthscope report here and get instant access to your results and a 45-minute Upgrade Your Energy pre-recorded workshop to better understand your unique profile, with tips to find more flow at work.

  • Or book a 45-minute 1:1 with me that comes with a Strengthscope report; together we’ll talk through your results and develop a customized strategy based on your Significant Seven energy-strengths.

• Teams: If you work within an organization and have the budget to run this as an in-person half-day team-building workshop, we are now booking for next quarter. Learn more and inquire here »

That’s it for now . . . thank you for reading!

❤️  With Love, 

1. 🔗 Someone might yell at me for sharing this, but if you want to pass paywalled articles, add 12ft.io/ in front of the URL.

👋 I didn’t include an option for Gen Alpha because the oldest are only fourteen . . . but if, by some remote chance, you are out there and reading this, reply and say hello!