Inspiring You to Uncover and Design a Meaningful Life
Instead, we temporarily alleviate the strain on our energy with various tactics and distractions. There’s no shortage of ways of how we can distract ourselves from an upcoming cycle of change.Continue Reading
Getting to true, lasting change isn’t sexy.
It’s usually the opposite. Monotonous, ordinary, and seemingly not worth mentioning. But not mentioning it would be a shame.
I recently learned about the Enneagram of Personality and discovered I’m the number five personality type. Type five is known as the thinker, observer, investigator—among other similar names. Like the other eight types, it comes with its strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies.
It all began with a library book on the subject. I was then guided to an assessment from the book. I wasn’t entirely swayed by the summary I initially read after receiving my results. Yet the more I read, the more I realized the patterns described have played out similarly in my life. Continue Reading
Without warning, a spark ignites on what was just another day. What happens is unexpected, yet there seems to be a message.
And if you’re courageous enough to embrace the unknown, you may realize it’s time to move on. It may be time to move on in some capacity, whether it’s out of a current job, mindset, activity, relationship or environment.Continue Reading
When the tumultuous trek fades into a calm stroll, it’s initially hard to believe.
Immersed in the daily toil of building towards our goal or dream, we’re taken aback that we’re suddenly there. We’ve lost count of all the steps in the process—but at some point, the effort from the previous phases Reassess, Erase, Explore and Build all come together to the most desired phase for many: Optimize.Continue Reading
The destination is a marvelous sight to behold.
When we’ve set sight on a direction of growth and genuine excitement, it’s time to build, forging the path to our goal. Whether it’s trying out a new fitness regimen, changing careers, or embarking on a new relationship—building a new part of our life is when enthusiasm gradually gives way to muscle, mindset, patience and perseverance.
Moving from Explore to the Build phase is the beginning of a trek that can last from months to many years. This is where you hone intent, lay out a plan and execute the steps. It’s the practical, hardworking and laborious part of the journey. Build generally starts off with high energy and optimism with a dash of necessary foolishness. In new territory, we’re bound to be naïve in certain areas as we research, learn and figure things out as we go along.Continue Reading
Signs of growth eventually emerge from the space we’ve erased.
After a pause that’s almost always longer than we’d like, we find ourselves squinting in the brightness of possibility. We’ve had to grieve and erase a part of us that was no longer fitting, and the heaviness has slowly subsided. Through erasing, we’ve created space for the exploration to come.
Where we saw ending and loss, we now see hope for the new. Continue Reading
It doesn’t get any easier once the awareness sets in. We often know deep down what’s next—but very few of us like to erase.
The muddled sense of restlessness, the shock from an unexpected event, the suffocating heaviness of stagnancy—these are sorted through in reassessment. After embracing the discomfiting pause in the Reassess stage, we’re faced with a grim decision.Continue Reading
A remarkable number of people dislike being alone with their thoughts. Like truly alone—without a phone, TV, laptop or tablet to help pass the time.
What about you? As an introvert who recharges by being alone, I enjoy the time I spend by myself. But if I were to count the minutes that I spend without being occupied, distracted and entertained by technology, they add up to far less than I think.
The constant distraction has a cost.Continue Reading
We’ve all been there, knee-deep in a swamp that’s steadily and slowly enveloping you in near darkness. While you sense the importance of struggling your way to shore, the silhouettes of unknown dangers lurking beyond create a stronger feeling of wariness. It’s the reel of the same old song that goes on and on. It’s the hollowness of fear, the heaviness of despair, the sinking feeling of inaction.
Many of us can relate to some version of stagnancy in our lives—whether it was overstaying in a situation that was no longer fitting, trying to make things the way it used to be or delaying an important decision to the intangible future.
We’re all aware the convenient path of least resistance often leads us down to stagnancy. But it doesn’t mean we’re immune. I’ve certainly succumbed many times, falling for the alluring comfort and slow suffocation in spite of being someone who strives for personal growth in my life.Continue Reading
