What are You Telling Yourself?

I know lots of women in business for themselves.  It’s a tough grind.  One day at a time.  One foot in front of the other. Working from home or in your car, and often feeling all alone. Maybe you’re not in business, but you volunteer for a cause really important to you. Working on something meaningful to you can feel like a lot of effort for little impact, too.

But every day you keep going, usually without even knowing why.  It’s this inherent drive we all have to not only live, but thrive.

A friend posted a great video about loving your imperfect self the other day. So many people commented and thanked her because her message resonated. So often we feel like we have to fit into someone else’s version of ourselves; be a great mom, be the attentive wife, reach that next success marker, volunteer.  Her simple message was the only thing you can do 100% all the time is BE YOU! Truth!

I also listened to a speech online from the One Young World summit by a North Korean woman who survived what most of us can’t imagine. She took her tragedy and made it powerful.  She is an advocate for Human Rights and works helping others affected by human trafficking in China. She could have become a victim, but she choose to rise up and fight.

Now, you could watch that video, or even read that brief description above and compare
yourself. You could decide you’re not good enough because you can’t even get over a jammed printer or a traffic jam.  Or you could be inspired. It all depends on your perspective. The mind is a powerful tool. You can use it to control others, or to empower. You can create, invent, inspire, or destroy. And you can exercise it. You can tell yourself something enough that you believe it. I am working on that; telling myself I am successful, stating my intentions out loud, asking specifically for what I want. You just tell yourself you can. You look in the mirror and tell yourself you are a badass!  You read an inspirational quote.  You listen to an uplifting podcast. And your mind shifts.

I’m a big believer in asking for help, too.  I never used to be. I lived a good part of my life feeling like I wasn’t enough. And I was stubborn. So I figured most things out on my own.  A lot of that didn’t work out so well. When I turned a new leaf and turned to friends and professionals for help so much changed. Working on my own now it’s important for me to intentionally be with others, and not usually with business in mind. I just want to be around positive people, and share advice, and high five accomplishments.

So that One Young World video inspired me! I’m really empathetic so I feel people. I’m overjoyed when you are.  I cry when you cry. That makes me want to jump on every cause I hear about. I got this stirring in me when I watched this video about what I could do for human rights.  I feel the same way when I see an abused animal, or child. But I also empathize with the misinformed, misunderstood, and mistaken of the world, too. I’ve had to learn to listen to my own inner voice in times of quiet to know what really starts a fire in me. And that takes continued practice.

This blog developed from listening to that. I crave harmony. I wanted to be able to have a gentle voice to speak to people about loving the planet, loving others, and loving themselves.  I just want to remind you from time to time that you can do this!

Maybe yesterday wasn’t such a great day; a client cancelled, you burnt dinner, you ate a whole box of ice cream, you were overlooked for a promotion.

Right now tell yourself you are enough.  And you are right where you are meant to be.