Over the past two weeks, as always, I’ve looked for and found patterns in all areas of my life.
This practice helps me look beyond individual occurrences, and reveal common threads, that in turn create opportunities for new awareness and new strategies.
It’s an empowering practice.
This week we celebrated International Women’s Day, and my focus turned to women in leadership.
Here are Two Patterns I noticed when coaching my amazing clients, participating in a Women in Classical Music symposium, leading the dedicated team of professionals at The Symphony, and having conversations with some inspiring friends over a glass of wine.
Pattern 1: Thinking that we’re not [fill in the blank] as others, or as we “should” be.
- Ok – this needs to STOP. 😉 Try this for a week: ASSUME that you belong, ASSUME that you have exactly what you need to excel, be awesome, have impact. Every time you walk into a room, a meeting, a conversation, assume that you have something to offer. Then, watch and observe what happens when you show up fully. Look for the facts.
- We all need to know – and be comfortable sharing – our superpowers. Although we learn how to gain skills and experience and communicate them in resumes, networking, etc., it is critical to know what occurs as a result of our skills and experience. What occurs, and to whom? Why is that so amazing? Knowing how we create ripples of impact, or how we uniquely do our jobs, is not for our ego, it is SO THAT we can begin to find the very people and organizations that need our superpowers. It enables us to make informed Next Step decisions, and curate lives of impact and joy.
“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
Pattern 2: Thinking that something you want is not possible, and then finding/sharing all the evidence proving that to be true.
- This needs to STOP, too! 😉 Try this: Make a list of all the reasons why you think something is not possible, and then: go back and ask “How do I know this is true, for me?” Test all your assumptions – those based on best practices, industry norms, assumptions about ageism, feedback from a recruiter, recommendations from a friend, and limiting beliefs about what is and is not possible.
- Dig in to why you want what you (really) want, and why. Who will benefit? What will be made possible when you “get” it? In most cases, it’s a pretty powerful outcome, so then it is our responsibility to make it possible! Or, change the language about what you (really) want. More on that topic in BLOGS.
Once you truly know you’re not only enough, but also have a unique way of creating impact, your life changes. You have more time. You feel better. Those around you benefit. You flow. Momentum builds!
“A woman in harmony with her spirit is like a river flowing.
She goes where she will without pretense and arrives at her destination
prepared to be herself and herself only.” – Maya Angelou
If you observe these Two Patterns in your life, please don’t stay stuck. Please don’t rely on power poses and positive affirmations.
Look for the facts. Build upon that. Together we are creating a movement of people living in the wonderful intersection of impact and joy!
To your success!
Kathryn
Next Chapter Coach
Creator of The Career (Life!) Breakthrough AcademyTM