In an unstable economy with rescinding offers and layoffs looming, it’s a good time to check back in with the basics—if the pandemic hasn’t already cornered you into it. As businesses and world organizations reset, so should we. Sure, we still have bills to pay, but at what expense? When money isn’t feeding our souls, what is? A common theme I am noticing with my clients and network is that work we’re spending so much time and energy doing just isn’t resonating with us anymore or there’s a sense of void constantly lingering.
Are you in the same boat? Is the world you’re living in just not sitting right with you anymore? Congratulations. You’ve elevated to the next level of being human. As much as you’d like to go back to how things were, the only path is forward. Your dis-ease is your wake-up call that you’re not aligned with the true you, you’ve outgrown the life you once knew and it’s time to reinvent yourself.
So what now? The life you created was “comfortable”. Familiar. I can come up with so many excuses… But I spent all of my life getting where I am today. What else would I do? I have to pay my mortgage. And on and on and on. In my effort to prove my worthiness to the world and to myself, I lost touch with the things that brought me joy and really mattered. As the ultimate empath, I soak in all the energies in my environment, so by the time I left work, I was completely drained and didn’t have the energy to do the things I enjoyed.
Each decision we make in our lives essentially comes down to our “why”, so why don’t we actually stop to understand what our why is? While some of us follow a natural flow and let our gut feelings guide us, others let the circumstances of life drive key decisions, but consciously or subconsciously, our “why” guides us to make final the call.
How to identify your why
We’re not all built and motivated the same way. I started with some very basic questions when I was writing my essay almost a decade ago. As I’ve worked with clients to refine their vision and goals, I’ve expanded my list of questions. If you’ve done this exercise before, you can always do it again if you’re feeling like you’re stuck in a rut. Maybe you need a reminder of your why or maybe what you knew before needs a minor tweak to add more clarity.
What are you doing when you’re the happiest?
What was your favorite thing to do as a child?
What things do you get praised for often?
What experiences in your life have influenced who you have become as a person?
What achievements do you like to be recognized for? Why? Does it make you feel a certain way?
What types of things and/or activities really energize you?
What do you value most in life? (Things you cannot live without)
What characteristics do you admire about your idols and why?
Do you feel called to visit a place? Do something specific? Talk to someone specific?
Once you finish this exercise, see if you can start adding elements of these into your life. It doesn’t necessarily have to be at work. I guarantee you’ll feel a boost of energy, and if you don’t, you’ll learn something about yourself. Once you're aligned with your why, you, my friend, will be in the flow with life, no matter what adversity it throws your way.
One simple word. One game-changing question. Why? So what’s yours?
If you’re still struggling to figure it out, or need some guidance, let’s have a quick call to see how I can support you.
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