I posted something in LinkedIn last week which was one of those moments when you put your heart in your mouth when you hit ‘publish’.
It was titled it’s not always flowers and rainbows and featured a picture taken on my birthday in January where I held a strong sense of optimism for what was to come in the year ahead. I proclaimed at the time this was my ‘long-service-year’ after 11 years in my own business I felt it was time to take a slower pace, travel more and connect with loved ones more.
It was time to just BE in life a little more and find more of that internal luminosity again that I talk to my clients about.
It sounded so good on paper but as we all know, life doesn’t always go according to plan, and I wanted to be honest about that. The last 4-5 months have been some of the most challenging, humbling, heartbreaking, extraordinary and I’m sure to be defining moments of my life.
As I send this message to you, I know I will not be alone in what life has thrown my way this year. You yourself reading this or others reading this will have lost a loved one, have tried to support someone being ripped apart by grief, have battled with mental health and addiction challenges in your family. You may have had holidays cancelled or thrown into disarray by pesky viruses, have struggled with health challenges, have had to keep putting one foot in front of the other to show up and get paid to support your family. You may have worried about financial pressures, have been made redundant or someone you love has. At times I’m sure you may have also felt isolated and not able to communicate to others what’s really going on, have experienced deep disappointment, tears of both sadness and joy, watched aging parents deteriorate, have had the privilege of supporting and holding the space for others through moments like these…
And this is not the part where I tell you that life is a process, and you have to ride the emotional ups and downs. (Although it may help).
But this is the part where I channel Susan David, Ph.D.
“Tough emotions are part of our contract with life. No matter how hard we try, we can’t avoid them. You don’t get to have a meaningful career or raise a family or make the world a better place without stress and discomfort. Discomfort is the price of admission to a meaningful life. It’s a non-negotiable part of being human.”
So my shout out today goes to all those that are in the messy middle of life just trying to be in it. I firmly believe that we are better to be in it and present to all that comes our way vs trying to brush it under the carpet. I think this is at the route of finding greater depth, meaning and purpose in your life…it’s something I advocate for myself and those that I work with.
A number of people commented on my post with things like;
“I feel like the growth is in the hard, painful and messy life stuff.”
“Been the toughest couple of years of my life too. When we choose this path (or it chooses us) sometimes the lessons can feel so tough.”
“I’ve come to the conclusion that there is a concept called necessary suffering and that we have to experience this to find out who we are and why we are.”
I share these messages as I know if you read these weekly notes you are likely investing in your own growth and development and choosing this pathway…
I know you are both human and ambitious and, in putting yourself out there, there will be moments when you stumble and moments when you succeed.
No other agenda today really in sharing this just one business owner, coach, team leader, partner, friend, daughter, sister…being honest about the complexity of life in the hope that this message lands in some way if you need it.
I hope you have a wonderful rest of your week and as always reach out if you feel to comment or share what may be going on for you. I’m always here to listen and help.
