Look back only to see how far you’ve come
How much attention do you pay to your timeline? Those of you who know me are only too familiar with how I reminisce about our memories and shared experiences.
This morning I was thinking about when and how my transformation was accelerated in the right direction. All because of a long walk and talk in a beautiful Spa Hotel with a mentor I trusted and respected three years ago today.
I started to look at life with a different perspective. A lot of my values and deep-rooted beliefs were challenged. But during that walk, I could clearly see a future that was much more aligned with how I wanted to be and how I wanted to impact the world around me. That was day one of a new direction for me 
Perhaps that’s the reason I love, value and offer outdoor coaching and retreats as part of my offerings
And then Facebook reminded me of my activities this time last year… I started doing the ‘what’s your story’ video series a year ago. I remember how apprehensive I was as I held my phone in front of my face and pressed the record button.
We had just entered into a period of uncertainty due to Covid dominating social media and every conversation we had. We were trying to make sense of our stories.
And as uncomfortable as it was for me to speak to an object, I listened to the part of me that had a positive intention in spite of my fear of looking unnatural and serious as I spoke. And so, a new journey of personal growth and development started as I stepped out of my comfort zone.
It certainly took time to get used to smiling into the camera and being more like the real me on video.
My intentions were to keep connected as we were having to socially distance. I also wanted to inject a bit of calm into the frenzy that took hold of my social media timeline by raising awareness of how the stories we told ourselves impacted our mental health and wellbeing.
A year later, I’m more comfortable with speaking in front of a camera. Who knew I’d be recording content in a professional studio a year on?!
What’s the point of this story you ask? Well… experience shows that:
- New experiences can seem more scary than they really are. Learning to silence the fear will motivate you into action.
- With practice and repetition, you can build new habits.
- You can do anything you set your mind to.
- Accepting that failure is a part of life increases your bouncebackability.
- Having an awareness that the fear you feel is intending to keep you safe, but at times, it’s standing in the way of your fulfilment.
- Guilt is one of the biggest drivers in keeping you stuck. What will other people think of you if you don’t live according to their expectations may be playing a part in your decision making.
- Perhaps you’re finding yourself overwhelmed by the number of options you’re generating and can’t think of how to move out of the overwhelm?
What may help you assess the situation…
- Accepting that your first responsibility is to yourself and keeping yourself resourceful. Only then you’re in a position to take meaningful action and be the example, help and support you aim to be for others. Your children do what you show them, not what you tell them. What sort of an example do you set if you compromise on your values and demonstrate this to them?
- Understanding that you will not please everyone, but you will have real impact on a few may give you the courage to stay on track.
- Believing that you have all the necessary ingredients inside of you to live the life you want. Sometimes, you have blind spots and can’t see the wood for the trees. Working with a coach or mentor will help you see life with a different perspective.
Let’s face it; life is for living, not waiting for the circumstances to be right. Because before you know it, life has passed you by and you’re left with a list of ‘if onlys’.
What’s your story today? When is a good day to start living life on your terms? In the famous words of Paulo Coelho, are you still saying one day or will today be day one? You decide
Call me when you’re ready to take a literal or a metaphorical walk and work through your limiting beliefs that are causing your blind spots.
Love & Strong Coffee
Vafa