Having listened closely to the journeys behind these incredible human performances, here are 5 learnings that many of us could take and apply to our own aspirations and lives.
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Passion and purpose
I've had lots of thoughts and questions swirling around in my head recently. I've been celebrating the big 50 and it seems many inner questions come with milestone birthdays. I can attest, the midlife crisis seems real!
Here’s some of the questions that have been swirling around in my head:
A New Year, a fresh start. New intentions and a surge of energy - New Year Resolutions begin with such great hope. It’s great to have clarity on a handful of goals for the year ahead whether that’s to lose weight, reduce stress and anxiety or be marathon fit. Yet just a few days into the new year and it’s easy to find yourself overwhelmed with all there is to do…
How did 2022 work out for you?
Did you accomplish all you set out to at the beginning of the year?
If you haven't yet had 5 minutes to spare to consider this question, I'd strongly recommend you find it. In fact an hour would be even better. I believe this is an essential process whoever you are and whatever you do. I call it a Reflect, Review and Release (RRR) process.
Do you ever have an urge to get away from it ALL? From the planning, the responsibilities or relentless rhythm? Like your head is going to burst if you fill it with anyone or anything else.
Whether you’re overwhelmed, exhausted, feel a need to reset or have a boost of inspiration, an environmental cure might be exactly what you need. And it might not be as complicated or expensive as we might think.
There are things in life that no one really teaches you. Like how your body can suddenly feel like it’s letting you down. Like how you can feel like your brain is working at half speed much of the time by the time you hit your mid thirties. There are many things my wiser self wishes my younger self had known about perimenopause. Here’s 3 things I wish I’d know to look out for as I headed into my thirties.
I have deep conversations with super smart women most days and here's what I hear:
We want to feel valued, not taken for granted.
We want to feel confident, not unworthy.
We want to feel healthy, fit and ALIVE.
So...
A new school year. A fresh start. Do you ever wish you could clear the slate and start again with the excited newness of what's to come? Out with the old, in with the new.
As I saw my kids off to start their new school year this week I shared their new term mixed feelings. Sadness that the endless summer holiday has drawn to a close and that an alarm need be set. A sense of excitement of new beginnings. Mostly of hope, sprinkled with a touch of apprehension about the unknown.
Then once they were off it was back to ME! The projects I've been excited to launch can finally regain momentum.
So what's new for you with these September vibes? Headspace to actually consider what's ahead? Time to focus on a new work opportunity or on a business idea? A commitment to a new gym or eating routine? Maybe even embracing an exciting new idea, to enable you to grow, dive deeper into your soul and allow you to feel the sense of fulfilment you've been seeking.
Change and movement are life.
Stagnant is restrictive, slow, dull.
Sometimes it's very clear what we need and want to do. Other times not so much. Or, we may have grand ideas but they just seem unrealistic or we don't know where to start. So often we don't do anything. We get stuck. Especially when we are time short or thoroughly exhausted.
Are you clear what's next for you?
Are you sure that when you do / have / or feel the ‘next thing’ that it will give you the satisfaction you desire?
Are you sure you’re on the right path?
If not it's worth checking in with yourself.
How well do you really know yourself and what will truly make you feel happy, healthy and fulfilled?
Are you getting in your own way?
Are you resisting change?
These limitations aren't always conscious resistance.
Sometimes it seems there really is no way out of the situation but actually, when you re-frame or are able to see things differently, there are possibilities galore. When in a frustrating or restricting situation, it might be worth asking yourself a few good questions such as...What might work? How could I try doing this differently? How do I want to feel about this? Our answers can be rather revealing and from there it can be much easier to take inspired action than reminding ourselves that we 'don't know' or 'can't do'.
As I say to my patients and clients often, just take one baby step forward at a time.
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Confucius
So I do hope this change of season goes well for you, your projects gain momentum and you feel exactly the way you desire.
If you'd like more guidance to help increase your clarity, sense of purpose and wellbeing, I'd be delighted to share a simple technique I use with my clients and patients to help get out of overwhelm and into clarity and flow. I share a short guided breathing technique designed to quickly calm the mind and find a grounded place within from which it’s easier to make decisions and know where to focus. You can access the 3 minute BREATHE WELL audio HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sally Dibden is a Health, Life and Performance Coach to driven achievers around the globe. She is the founder of The Wellbeing Consultants™ and HER Space™, a community dedicated to women’s health and performance. She also runs her Physiotherapy and Yoga and Pilates Clinic in France where she lives with her family near Geneva. Sally specialises in supporting and empowering dynamic women to optimise their energy, health, hormones and performance. Her ethos being that optimal success and happiness in whatever leadership role - whether that be as an entrepreneur, busy professional or executive, teacher or parent, comes from optimal holistic health. Sally has worked with thousands of patients and clients over her 25 year career as a therapist and understands the tendency of high achievers to stretch themselves. She helps her clients reach their potential with mind body balance not burnout, enabling them to enjoy and sustain their energy for all their ambitious goals.