As we near the end of the year, I get excited about new beginnings, new adventures, and new ways of doing old things. Soon, it will be my chance to start anew – to grow – and to become even more of myself than I have ever been. For me, one of the best ways to do that is to take on more challenges. To reach higher, to take on those scary new risks that show up, and that I create.
Simultaneously, I am also aware of the need to look at the things I have done this year. What am I extremely proud of, what can I applaud myself for? What risks did I shy away from? What limiting beliefs popped up? Which impacted me and which could I simply identify and then ignore? Also, I look each year at whether or not I ever lost my passion and love of what I do and if so, why? In this, I easily learn from my clients.
I have a definite belief that we came here to teach what we came here to learn. Partly that belief is because of my years teaching in graduate school. Although I remembered some of the theorists, I felt my years of experience were really the greatest gift I brought to my students. Still, I found that by teaching them, I was learning so much more, on a cellular level. Through their questions, my theories were becoming concrete, formalized, solid knowledge I had no doubts about. Much of what we discussed I had never really put into words or identified specifically as my beliefs, or knowings. Teaching took it all to the next level for me.
Frequently, now, working with my clients can seem like teaching in graduate school. These are experienced, successful, adults wanting more. Many started by following a vision, a passion, that called them, whether to start a small company or to rise the ladder in the corporate world.
Visions can call you, motivate you, and give you the ability to see challenges as no more than an obstacle. However, folks, like my clients, may reach the level where the vision has become replaced by an overachiever’s need to focus solely on working for success, sustainability, and/or expansion of the company. This gives permission for the overachiever to stay preoccupied, to get lost, to have their relationships suffer, their health put in jeopardy, and the company’s passionate drive be destroyed. Survival is the driving force at that point not passion.
Becoming burnt-out, a consequence, is frequently based on the belief that we need to do it alone, we solely are responsible for everything, and that our reputation and ability to stand out comes solely from being aggressively number one at all times, in all things.
What’s lost is the realization that being number one can simply be because of the culture of your company, the customer support you provide, or the presence you bring to the table. Yes, you need to be great at what you do but perhaps many others are as well, yet what differentiates you may be that thing that causes you to stand out. Your presence, confidence, peace, joy, and gratitude for life and for each client.
In addition, your personal relationships need you, not your success. They need your compassion, your total presence, your ability to truly see them and be with them. They need all that you have chosen to be. That can be tough to swallow when you believe it is what you do that counts. Personally and/or professionally, (because it is always both) your vision and your passion reflect the essence of who you are. They present your purest self to the world. Your connection to them is the barometer of your most authentic and real existence. As you look at the year, can you remember yours? Are you living them? Are you ready to claim them going forward? Have a great week, there’s only a couple more left in 2023, enjoy them!
