Discovering the Authentic You: A Reflection on Identity
Melissa Carson
Leadership Endurance Coaching for sustainable high performance when there is no finish line in sight | Aligning people and business strategies for growth | Fractional Chief People Officer
We all associate with multiple identities - parent, child, sibling, employee, boss, coach, community leader, and so on.
How often do you ask yourself, "who am I?" Does your response start with those "hats" you wear, or does it begin with something deeper?
Our identity shifts as we go through life changes, but sometimes we forget to pause, acquaint ourselves with this identity, and put away an old one. I've done much thinking on this topic since I took my latest career leap of faith in 2019.
Who am I supposed to be now that I've moved out of the corporate team structure?
Who do I want to be??
In a reflective mood, I've been thinking that it's time to build out my who I am description a bit more. Here’s what I came up with:
Why don't you try this exercise to see who you are and who you want to be?
When you look at the list, what's missing for you??
Is there a piece of your identity that has yet to take shape or has gotten lost??
I found a few things that I'd like to be able to add to my list of whom I want to be, so I will be working on adding them in as the year goes on.
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Who are you today?
Who do you want to be tomorrow?
What will it take to bring that person to life?
A deep subject for your Friday reading.
If you're at the point to start claiming whom you want to be for the future and are looking for someone to help you zoom out above the day-to-day so that you can create a new focus, let's chat.
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???? ♀? I am Melissa Carson.
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??? The performance coach for high-achieving imperfect leaders who are at a crossroads
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I help parents and teachers transform intense behaviors in children. | Nurtured Heart Advanced Trainer ??
1 年So important to stop and reset to who we really are!
Retired
1 年"Who are we, and what do we want to become?" Excellent questions that we all need to ask ourselves. Thank you Melissa Carson for sharing this.
Engagement creates Belonging ? builds Resilience ?? Design Thinker ?? OD Consultant ?? Trainer & Workshop Creator ?? Culture Strategist & Habitat Composer ?? Nationally Recognized Mental Health Advocate
1 年That question implies so much more than "what is your name?" or "what do you do?" As your in-depth reflection illustrates, Melissa, this is not so easy to do at a networking event when someone asks us. Instead of an inquiry prompting an elevator pitch, I will often ask people - "What do you really care about that you would like to do more of?" It usually gets an interesting response that sparks a good conversation where we may find values and purpose that align. As well as the stories behind them.
Engineering High Performance Culture & Leadership | Transforming Mindsets for Sustainable High Performance | Building Resilience | Championing Women in Leadership | Hypnotherapist (RTT)
1 年Great reflection Melissa Carson and a very good invitation to go deeper this wekeend.
Empowering leaders to create cultures fueled by BELONGING, PURPOSE, and OWNERSHIP | Host - The Leadership Excellence Podcast | LinkedIn "TOP 40" Thought Leader | Keynote Speaker | Custom Leadership Development
1 年I believe who we are is a combination of all of it, but it is driven by who we are on the inside. Great post Melissa Carson ??