Create your Highest Vision - Newsletter Jan 2024
Happy new year! I’m so excited to reconnect with you here!
Many of you have shared in coaching sessions that your intention for the year is to reclaim your positive energy, intentionally focus more on what brings you a sense of deep satisfaction and purpose, and let go of negativity.
I’m thrilled and honored to kick off the year with you, providing support through coaching, workshops, training, and inspiration to help you expand your vision and tap into your highest potential.
There is a story about Gandhi who was once asked to give a message to the people of India. He said, “My life is my message”.
This resonates with me deeply. I remember thinking when my girls were little, that I wanted my life to be a positive example for them. That intention became a powerful guiding force, leading to massive changes in my life: relocating back to Romania for a year so my girls could experience the slower pace of the old world I grew up in, exploring what my deepest calling was, starting my coaching & consulting business, and later, moving from San Francisco down the coast to Santa Barbara.
Making these massive changes wasn’t easy by any means, but I was committed to doing everything in my power to model a good life for my daughters. I knew that the way I lived would shape their perception of what’s possible for them in the future.
One night, as they lay in their bunk beds, I was reading Dr. Seuss to them and came across this quote:
“Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than you.”
It touched something deep in my heart and reinforced my commitment to be true to myself, so they too could have permission to be true to themselves.
During the transition from my secure corporate job to becoming a business owner, I frequently grappled with fear, a sense of inadequacy, and a scarcity mindset. Questions like “Who am I to start my own business?” and “With so many coaches out there, why would anyone want to work with me?” and “How is this ever going to come close to replacing my corporate paycheck?” constantly crossed my mind.
From that experience, I learned that…
Change is inevitable. When the pain of staying the same exceeds the fear of the unknown, you discover you have what it takes to transform your life.
And also that…
When you feel stuck, it means you’re either caught in fear and self-sabotage, OR you don’t have clarity about what’s most important to you and why.
I want to share 3 things to help you shift your energy and strategy if you feel change is ahead for you because I’ll always coach you on how to shift BOTH.
💫 Authentic Leadership Saboteur #1: Imposter Syndrome
When you work toward an ambitious goal, you might notice self-doubt kicking in, making you unsure about your achievements and attributing success to luck or external factors rather than owning your own excellence and hard work.
You might avoid putting yourself out there in a truly confident and authentic way, due to the fear of being ‘found out’. You might avoid asking for help. And you know what? That’s totally normal.
The trick is to embrace the insecurity; don’t identify with it. Acknowledge and validate yourself with compassion.
Then remember that your clients and team are human, and greatly benefit from your expertise and the exquisite leadership you provide.
💫 Authentic Leadership Saboteur #2: Unclear vision and goals not prioritized based on your values
Not having a clear vision and goals aligned with your values makes decision-making arbitrary and reactive.
Leadership is rooted in a compelling vision that gives you a clear sense of purpose and creates focus and commitment.
What would you like to create space for this year?
What new seeds do you want to plant?
What would you do if you knew you were supported?
Set a holistic vision and goals that ladder up to it, covering all aspects of your life: work, health, and relationships.
One of my goals for this year is to feel more aligned, and more congruent. I want to keep reducing the delta between what I say is important and what I actually prioritize doing.
Congruence is about acting in alignment with your values. And that’s so important to your wellbeing!
💫 Authentic Leadership Saboteur #3: Difficulty Prioritizing and Delegating
You may be unconsciously telling yourself fear-based stories, like “I need to prove myself, and no one can do this as well as I do” to do the work yourself rather than letting others stop into your shoes.
The problem is that your perfectionist mindset gets you stuck in doing work you’re excellent at rather than high-level work that truly stretches you. That’s because it’s easier to stay in your comfort zone, which only makes it harder to grow your impact!
The Eisenhower matrix is a great framework to help you distinguish between urgent and important tasks.
Don’t let saboteurs hold you back.
