You Were Born To Do This
January of 2020, I took a leap into the unknown. My inner spark was in dire need of some inspirational fanning, so I signed up for a three-day intensive Co-Active coaching course. On the morning of day-1, I found myself in a hotel conference room in Palo Alto, CA with 25 strangers. There we were, a bunch of grown-ups, experts in our own fields, entering a space where we were all beginners. It felt like the first day of kindergarten, except everyone was in their 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s. Over the duration of those three days, we floundered and tripped over new skills that we were trying on for the first time. We learned, laughed, cried, and connected. I felt my inner spark igniting. I felt alive.
Despite being utterly clumsy on my newfound coaching legs, I knew with certainty that I had stumbled upon something with meaning and purpose. I had a sense that everything I’d done up to that point, both professionally and personally was absolutely necessary to prepare me for this. That three-day workshop turned into a year-long deep dive into multiple courses, three certifications, and incredible personal growth. Yes, it was scary to go from expert to beginner at the age of 42. Yes, it was uncomfortable to fumble and fail along the way. And yes, the inner voice of self-doubt, told me many times to go back to what I already knew how to do, where I already had made my connections and established a trusted reputation. Yet, my heart knew that doing so would mean not only letting myself down, it would mean letting down all the individuals who I would never work with. It would mean staying small, safe, invulnerable, and unfulfilled.
In order to create space for this new work, I had to let go of something. It was finally time to close the door on personal training, after 22+ wonderful years. This was not an easy decision because it meant walking away from two long-time clients who had become my close friends and paid me very generously. Despite the many reasons to stay, I had to acknowledge that my heart simply wasn’t in personal training anymore- the truth is, I’d known this for some time. So, with my heart as my guide and my husband’s support, I took a leap of faith– I declared my decision, closing one chapter of my life while opening a new one. I haven’t looked back.
Recently, I worked with a client who’s grappling with a similar dilemma. She has her high-paid professional job, but she secretly has a passion (and talent) for writing. For her, it isn’t a matter of dropping one for the other, but rather committing herself to be brave and vulnerable enough to do what makes her heart sing, what brings her so much joy that it positively affects every other part of her life. Through our coaching, she came to realize that her fear of failure has essentially become a “brick wall” preventing her from writing anything at all. What if I’m not as good as I think I am? What if people just aren’t interested in what I have to say? However, once she was able to separate the joy of writing from the achievement of writing, she realized that she can easily walk around that brick wall and do what she loves. When she rooted herself in love rather than fear, her creative inspiration suddenly flowed freely. In fact, that evening after our call, she put pen to paper and wrote the most extraordinary essay. Two months later her essay was published in a prestigious journal and just six months later she was finishing up her novel. Incredible.
Turning your back on a calling is like turning your back on life itself. We each have a purpose and within that is a gift, a contribution that inspires greater compassion, joy, beauty, or love in this world. We don’t have to make this our career, but we do need to live it and we must share it with others in some way. What makes your heart sing? Are you letting the voices of self-doubt, not good enough, fear of failure, imposter syndrome, and all of the other senseless chatter hold you back? Sometimes all you need is a little momentum– one small step to get you moving. Without that first step, however, you remain stuck. Today I invite you to commit to taking one step within the next week toward honoring what brings you joy and makes you feel fulfilled. What will you commit to?
“Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What’s a sundial in the shade?”
– Benjamin Franklin
“We were born to manifest the glory that is within us. And as we let our light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
– Marianne Williamson
Book a complimentary consultation to learn how personal coaching can support you in kick-starting the next step of your journey.