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Living a life of balance, joy, passion, and fulfillment takes courage. Western culture tells us to keep our heads down and hands busy, to do as we are told, and not to rock the boat. But what if you want more than that? What if you want a life with meaning and purpose? A life where you can feel your soul singing?
We have to awaken our courage, our voice, and our choice in our lives to cultivate the meaning and joy we want to live and lead from. It takes courage to acknowledge when we are burning out. Even saying, "No, I won't work overtime," requires courage because we've been told we are only as worthy as we are productive. The sometimes unspoken message we are sold is that we must sacrifice our souls for the companies we work for. When everyone around you works until 8 pm, saying, "I won't do it," takes courage. And unfortunately, in some cultures saying no in these situations isn't even a choice because it would put your livelihood at risk. If you are still working with one of these types of organizations, my heart goes out to you.
There are many situations and work cultures where it isn't safe to draw boundaries or speak up in the way we want. As you engage with the thoughts and ideas in this post, always keep in mind that each of us faces unique challenges, and you can be skillful and selective in utilizing only what you have the safety to.
Building a life of balance and joy requires swimming against the current and listening to our souls. We are brave when we know what we need and permit ourselves to embrace it. In many ways, it is an act of rebellion to prioritize rest and play in cultures of hustle and productivity.
This blog post will discuss embracing courage and standing up for the life you want. It's time to courageously reclaim your voice, choice, and life.
Find Your Voice - Identifying what matters most to you
Finding your voice and identifying what matters most to you is a journey that can be both exciting and challenging. It requires a deep understanding of yourself and what truly makes you happy. It's an inner journey of identifying what you value, need, and want in your life. It's a journey worth taking because knowing your authentic self can profoundly impact your life.
When you know what matters most to you, making decisions, setting goals, and creating meaningful relationships become easier. But how do you find your voice? It starts with taking a step back and reflecting on your values, beliefs, and passions. It takes honesty and a willingness to be vulnerable. But remember, finding your voice isn't about perfection or conforming to society's expectations. It's about being true to yourself and creating a life that aligns with your unique identity.
Not sure where to start? Try these to get you going.
Brainstorm: Take some time to brainstorm and reflect on what values, beliefs, and passions are important to you. Write them down, sort them, and journal on what it all means to you.
Seek out experiences: Try new things, meet new people, or volunteer to gain a better understanding of your values, beliefs, and passions. Getting out of our daily routine can open our hearts and minds to things that we didn't even know we wanted or needed.
Connect with yourself: Spend some time alone in reflection, practice mindfulness, create art, or journal to explore your inner self. If you don't set aside time to be with yourself, you will lose sight of who you are and what a life of meaning and balance looks like for you.
Once you are clear on what matters, don't forget to speak up. Share your thoughts, ideas, feelings, and stories with the world. Use your voice to draw your boundaries and stand up for your beliefs.
As you own and share your voice, remember that some environments are not yet safe for everyone to do this. If you find yourself in these less-than-safe environments, the first step may be assessing if they can be made safer and taking steps to make that happen if so.
Reclaiming Your Choice - Learning how to take ownership of your life decisions
Life is a journey full of twists and turns, and making decisions along the way is an inevitable part of it. However, taking ownership of your choices can be quite daunting. It requires courage, confidence, and trust in oneself. But it's essential if you want to live a fulfilled life. Reclaiming your choices means taking responsibility for your decisions, good or bad.
It's about taking responsibility for your life and creating the path to your desired destination. This journey starts with self-reflection, exploring your values, and setting clear intentions. Learning to take ownership of your life decisions may not be easy, but it's worth the effort. It is incredibly empowering to realize our ability to choose the path we take each day. So often, we get into a routine and feel like we are just doing what we "have to" do or what other people expect us to do. But we always have a choice. The choices aren't always easy, but knowing that they are our choices to make reminds us of the power we have to decide on the direction of our lives.
Even something as small as changing our inner dialogue from "I have to" to "I choose to" can help us take ownership of our choices. Believe it or not, no one makes you wake up and go to work every day. You might choose to because you want to have a stable income and to be able to feed your family (and that's a great choice to make), but it is a choice. When you realize you are falling into thinking in "have tos" take some time to evaluate what choices you are making, why you are making them, and if they are the choices you want to continue making.
What are the perceived "have to" items in your life? How does it feel to shift your language to "choose to"? Spend some time reflecting on this.
Being Brave in the face of Fear: Practicing self-compassion and recognizing the lessons in failure
Being brave in the face of fear is not an easy feat. It takes immense courage to step out of your comfort zone and confront your fears head-on. However, if we want to grow and succeed in life, we must learn to be brave. A critical aspect of being brave is practicing self-compassion.
We often beat ourselves up for not being perfect, which only fuels our fears and keeps us stuck. Perfection is the enemy of progress, after all. By practicing self-compassion, we can learn to be kinder to ourselves and acknowledge that failure is a natural part of the learning process. We can be gentle and loving with ourselves when we do something new, and it doesn't turn out the way we hoped. Bravery requires self-compassion. Otherwise, it's just not worth the risk.
When we embrace failure and recognize the lessons it has to offer, we can use it as a stepping stone toward growth. Some of the times that I've been most scared in my life - doing something new, sharing my story, starting a business, applying for a promotion - were the things that ended up propelling my life into a new and exciting phase. It doesn't always end up the way we want when we take these risks, but it's much better than standing still and watching your life pass you by. So, next time you're faced with fear, remember to be brave, practice self-compassion, and be open to the lessons in failure.
Cultivating Joy and Passion - Building rituals that help you stay connected to what brings you joy and purpose
Life can be demanding and stressful, and getting caught up in the daily grind is easy. But it's crucial to intentionally and consistently cultivate joy and passion in your life. Building rituals that help you stay connected to what brings you joy and purpose can make all the difference.
These rituals can be as simple as taking a few moments each day to savor a cup of coffee or tea, or as elaborate as planning a weekly date night with your significant other. It is important to find what works for you and commit to it. It's not always easy to prioritize joy and passion in a busy life, but it's worth the effort.
Rituals of joy don't have to be huge events. In fact, the smallest rituals can bring you great joy. A small ritual I do every morning to bring me joy and deepen my connection with nature is to take a deep breath as soon as I step outside my house in the morning and look at the sky. Sometimes it's still dark, sometimes the air is crisp, and other times I'm being drenched by rain, but I take my deep breath and pause for a mindful moment with my yard before I embark on my day.
So, identify things that light you up, excite you, make you curious, or align with your values and integrate them into your life in as many big and small ways as possible. By doing this, you'll find renewed energy, enthusiasm, and a deeper connection to the things that matter most to you.
Fulfillment Through Growth - Acknowledging that success is an ongoing journey and progress is the real goal
Achieving success is not a destination but rather an ongoing journey. Further, you have to define what success even means to you. It is different for everyone, and you need to make sure you are working towards something that you actually want and is worth the ups and downs of the journey.
Life requires self-reflection and personal growth. This journey might be challenging, and there might be moments when you feel like giving up. However, it is essential to acknowledge that growth leads to fulfillment. Even when growth means bravely seeing that something you are doing isn't actually in alignment with the life you want and taking ownership of that so that you can create some changes.
To reach your fullest potential, you must regularly take steps toward personal growth, whether through learning something new, being open to feedback, or stepping out of your comfort zone. It might be uncomfortable initially, but pushing yourself to grow and evolve leads to fulfillment. Remember, living a meaningful life is not measured by how much you achieve but by how much you grow, how much you love, and how much you enjoy the life you've built.
Tools for Transformation - Implementing tools such as mindfulness and self-care practices to build a more balanced lifestyle
In a world that can often feel overwhelming, implementing tools for transformation can be essential for achieving balance and wellness. Mindfulness practices, such as meditation and deep breathing, can help to reduce stress and anxiety, while self-care practices, such as exercise and healthy eating, can provide a sense of physical and emotional well-being. It's easy to get caught up in the chaos of everyday life, but taking the time to prioritize self-care and mindfulness can lead to a more centered and fulfilling existence. Remember, transformation takes time and effort, but the rewards are worth it.
Not sure which practices will feel best for you? Try a few!
Check out some simple mindfulness ideas below:
Deep breathing: Close your eyes, focus on your breath, and take slow, deep breaths.
Scanning your body: Slowly scan your body from head to toe, noticing how each part feels.
Focusing on a physical object: Select a physical object in front of you and observe it closely for several minutes.
Guided meditation: Listen to a guided meditation or audio recording focusing on mindfulness and presence.
Mindful walking: While walking, pay close attention to the sensations in your feet and legs as they hit the ground with each step. Notice the wind as it embraces your skin and the sounds around you. Sink into the experience with your whole being.
Creating a life of balance, joy, passion, and fulfillment will require work—work that is demanding and uncomfortable at times. Choosing to live a life on fire with the things you love requires courage and clarity. The challenges you face will often feel daunting, but they are also necessary to rise above the status quo and courageously create lives we are proud to live. It takes courage to challenge the fabric of our culture in pursuit of building a more meaningful existence—but together, we can co-create a world that invites us all to pursue fulfillment through truth and balance in our lives.
Be courageous in crafting the life you desire. Start today.
Warmly,
-Kayla
If you’re ready to take the next step toward a life of passion, presence, and purpose, I’d love to chat about how coaching can help. Schedule a free discovery call with me today to get clarity on where you are on your journey to create a life of balance and meaning and determine if my services are a good fit to support you.
Kayla M. Sweet is the owner, operator, and primary service provider at Internally Guided Leadership Consulting LLC.
Kayla has her BA in Psychology and her MA in Consciousness and Transformative Studies. She specializes in Transformational Leadership and Consciousness and Healing.
Kayla has over a decade of experience in leadership and management and has most recently served in human resources and mental health settings. She currently offers leadership coaching, consulting, and training in alignment with her mission of inspiring loving action worldwide by empowering heart-centered leaders to live with balance.
Sources:
Amanda Kohr. "30 Morning Rituals to Bring You Joy" Wanderlust, accessed 4/2/2023
Dan Cumberland. "The Secret To Finding Your Voice" The Meaning Movement, accessed 4/2/2023
Jeena Cho. "6 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Mindfulness and Meditation" Forbes, accessed 4/2/2023
Kristin Neff. "This Is What Fierce Self-Compassion Looks Like" Mindful, accessed 4/2/2023
Michelle Rees. "How to Take Ownership of Your Life (and Get Everything You Want)" Whole Life Challenge, accessed 4/2/2023
Ron Carucci. "It Takes Courage To Acknowledge Your Burnout" Forbes, accessed 4/2/2023
Ryan Stoltz. "Toxic Work Culture: Signs of an Unhealthy Work Environment & How to Fix It" Workhuman, accessed 4/2/2023
Don't forget to read the fine print:
The Internally Guided Leadership Blog is the property of Internally Guided Leadership Consulting LLC. It is not to be reproduced, sold, or distributed without permission and appropriate credit given to Internally Guided Leadership LLC and content creator Kayla M. Sweet. This blog is promoting Internally Guided Leadership LLC's services, including but not limited to coaching programs, 1:1 coaching, and leadership consulting.
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