Let Me Be Clear - #2
Paul Simard
Master connector and networker, committed to bringing the world together one connection at a time!
#LetMeBeClear - during a large part of my life, I was not my own #BestFriend. And this is a big deal, because it had a direct impact on my personal and professional success.
Thanks to Kelly Ramsden in her book, "Success Hangover" I was reminded of a simple question: "Would you want to be friends with the voice that speaks to you in your head?"
For me, the answer has more often than not been, "Hell no!"
Growing up, #boys are raised to believe that as #men, your primary goal is to #win. And how do you know if you're winning? You keep score.
And when we are taught that the score is all that matters, then we look out at the #world to see what others are doing. And today, thanks in large part to social media, all we see are people who are living better, richer, more fulfilling lives.
So we start beating ourselves up. We become "colder". We "man up" (whatever that means). We work longer. We work harder. And when we start to do those things, we lose touch with ourselves, and with those we love.
Well, it's time to STOP going down that road!
So, how does one make that change?
That is the challenge, and it is the work.
Start by simply tracking how you feel about yourself when you wake up in the morning. Just take note.
Then, start focusing on the #positives that make up your day...
The great cup of coffee you made this morning
The 3 minutes of meditation you did this afternoon
The lunch you made, the walk you took, the hug you shared, the ear you lent, the love you gave...
Track them. Note them. Celebrate them. In the work I have done, both on myself and in supporting others, this is where the momentum starts to shift. But it does not stop there, it requires a commitment, but one that leads to more fulfillment on all levels, not just more time taken from your life to hit some metric.
It is about slowly, methodically looking at, understanding and connecting to the most critical elements of your world.
If something doesn't feed and nourish you, does it need to stay? What and who can you move away from? What can be added, or enhanced, to get you feeling empowered again, and working on the things that really matter?
This is not easy work. But it's time to do it.
Today. Now.
What three POSITIVES would you share from your day if I asked you to (because, well, I AM asking you to, please share below!
This is the second in a series of articles that I will be posting on various platforms relating to men and masculinity