Coming Back to Self

How do you stay true to yourself with all the noise around you? Throughout the years, I've made adjustments on how I spend my time and with who. Then shifted what my professional career looked like, my business, my industry. I aligned my personal values and business values to attract like-minded clients. Yet still, I find it difficult to maintain my sense of self with competing needs. Does this sound at all familiar? I have to believe that we can accomplish this consistently and with the support and encouragement of those around us.

Where to Begin?

It starts with mindfulness. What are the different roles you play? Take a second and think about that. The expectations that come with each either put upon us or a subconscious list of "must do's" or "must be's" established over time. Carve out five minutes for this little exercise. Fifteen minutes if you have it. How many roles are there? How much time does each require? Do you have to bring different skill sets or emotions? Personally, I can count 10 off the top of my head. While there is definitely overlap, each role needs a little something extra. As you list these, think about how much time each of them take out of your day. Then ponder the amount of hours you spend giving to nobody but yourself.

Say Goodbye to Hustling

Ten years ago I was traveling 80 percent of the time for a job I loved. It taught me that time is my most valuable gift. Respecting that gift became a priority and a prerequisite. For years, I've applied this but only to my personal life. It wasn't until the entrepreneurial journey that I understood the financial value of my time. Why had that lesson not felt accessible when I worked for others?

Think about the phrase "working my way up the ladder." We climb and we climb and we climb. Even if we were to sit still, it's pretty uncomfortable to chill out on a ladder. This is the professional environment we've been living in. High expectations with minimal rest or reward. We all know that ever-growing checklist of things to accomplish each day, week, month. No matter how much you check off, someone adds 10 more things to your to-do list. How can you keep being your best when what it means to be you is lost in the workload?

Slow is the Way to Go

Transformational travel teaches the benefits of slow travel and how it can open your mind in powerful ways. We can apply this to our professional life, too. To stay connected with ourselves requires slowing down. Will others around you allow this new mindset shift? It's true, we can't control things outside of ourselves. However, once we commit to this as a necessity it becomes easier to set boundaries.

"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished."

Lao Tzu

This can look like calendar blocking to give you time during the work day to accomplish your goals uninterrupted. Create an out of office email alerting people that you will respond to emails once or twice a day to stay productive. Consider not responding to the ringing phone at the end of your day or to the email after hours or on your day off. Remember, we teach people how to treat us.

Respect Your Time?

Let's throw out the idea of the hustle culture. The world will not fall apart if you go on holiday. So utilize sick days, vacation time, and mental wellness days. Then do something with them. I love a good Netflix binge and am not knocking the value of tuning out. But this is about tuning in. To do that, a digital detox can make all the difference. Pick up that book that's been sitting on your nightstand collecting dust. This never fails to inspire me and open up a hidden gem in my subconscious. Take out a notebook and start writing. No matter what you write, it's a release. Maybe it will teach you something? Accessing this source of creativity can bring incredible energy.

"When you say 'yes' to others, make sure you are not saying 'no' to yourself."

Paulo Coehlo

Changing space is always inspiring when done intentionally. It can be taking a road trip, a wellness getaway, sitting at a local coffee shop, or simply sitting in a different chair within your own home. Go for a walk or a run if that's what brings you joy. Try doing that without any music and instead listen to the sounds around you, pay attention to the colors you see. How many shades of green can you find?

Choose Silence

Every business day we're faced with noise. It's our challenge to build the silence. Remind ourselves of our own superpowers that go beyond the tasks. I'd love to hear your ideas on ways to do this. Together we grow.