Dear Reader,
If you’re feeling scattered & overwhelmed, it is not because you don’t have the answers -
You feel lost & overwhelmed because you’ve focused on the wrong answers.
As so many others have (including my past self),
You followed what worked for everyone else.
You did as your parents told you. You listened to the advice of your teachers. You were an A+ student & employee of the month.
You diligently examined the “how to” guide that promised a successful life & career -
You put your head down & worked your way up the ladder.
This mode to success is what we are taught. In fact, external learning is what’s needed to develop from child to independent adult.
In other words, you did well, Reader.
You did exactly as you were told, & this has benefitted you up to a certain point.
Why it’s no longer working, & thus the wrong answers to look to, is because you are no longer a child;
You are in a new stage of development & up-leveling -
Which requires a new level of understanding & learning.
So, in a moment, I will gift you THE answer - the one that will guide you to everything you’ve always desired (bold claim, I know).
But first, let’s intentionally come face-to-face with your current, uncomfortable reality. Because without discomfort, there is no reason to change.
This requires courage - so take a breath.
I know it feels terrifying to lift your head - to take off your blinders & pause the pure effort it took to get to this place.
Even the thought makes your stomach flip.
I know this because when given the option to continue down a hard, stressful path OR take an honest look at our internal reality…
As humans, we often choose the stressful path.
Because: cognitive dissonance.
Or, in other words, because the honest choice means admitting your current life is not what you wanted it to be;
It is not what you were promised it would be!
You were promised success! The dream! The answers that would solve all your problems & take away your worries & relieve you from all pain.
You thought all of this would lead to happiness.
& honestly: you’re not happy. At least, not as happy as you’d hoped to be.
Of course this is painful to feel - especially when you worked damn hard to get here.
Sitting in your internal reality - one dissonant from what you thought it would be - is of vital importance.
If we do not pause to feel the dissatisfaction, the discomfort, the lack of fulfillment -
We can continue to lie to ourself; “Life is fine.” “This is what I’m supposed to do.” “This is the dream.”
& it’d be one thing, if those statements were true….
But you feel it. & I see it… it’s not true.
You want something more.
Oof.
So, now what?
The grand finale; THE answer:
You.
You! You’ve had the answer all along - if only you took a courageous moment (& then another) to ask YOURSELF:
What does success mean to YOU? What do YOU desire? What do YOU care about? What makes YOU happy? & How do YOU want to get there?
Maybe you’ve never heard your own voice amidst the noise. We are rarely taught to.
Maybe you heard it, but suppressed it - or feared it, or thought it was stupid.
Maybe you followed it, once - or a few times - only to be told by someone else that it wasn’t “realistic” or that another way was best, so you continued checking those damn boxes.
Whatever your past story is with your voice - you have the power to choose its story today, tomorrow, & every day moving forward.
Dare to begin again.
Because you have your answers, & you have all along. It’s just a matter of tuning into your voice, truly hearing it, trusting it & acting in alignment.
Here are five steps to get you started:
