If you knew you had one year left to live, how would you show up differently?
Time is fleeting. This isn’t morbid, it’s true. If there’s anything that the past year has taught us, it’s that we just don’t know what the future will bring.
Life is precious. Our time is valuable.
And while as an executive coach, I can always give you a great productivity tip (or forty), the truth is that I think that at its core, life satisfaction is less about what we’re doing, and more about who we’re being.
Trust me, I’ve worked with a ton of successful people who are getting boatloads of stuff done. They’re hitting their business goals out of the park, and are handsomely rewarded for it. But, at the same time, they might feel anything from a mild sense of ennui to deep unhappiness. They might feel like their lives lack meaning – or that something is missing.
Why?
Sometimes it’s because they’re so busy that they’re not fully present enough to even recognize and appreciate all the good that they have in their lives.
Sometimes it’s because they wish they were doing something else – but instead they’re living their lives based on others’ expectations.
Sometimes it’s because they’ve tied up all of their identity to one aspect of themselves (their work and their accomplishments), and as a result, feel the constant pressure to do more to prove their worthiness to themselves and others.
All of these approaches might “work” on the surface, but underneath it, there can be a gnawing sense that something is awry. We might do our best to ignore those internal nudges, but they’re still there – prodding us to explore what those feelings might be trying to tell us.
If you’re human and paying attention, you’ve probably experienced moments of feeling a desire for more – a yearning to get in touch with your authentic needs so that you can share more of that with the world.
I think sometimes, people ignore the call because they’re afraid of what it might suggest. Will I need to quit my job? Make major changes? Go outside of my comfort zone?
The truth is, that while a big shift is sometimes the chosen path (it prompted me to become an entrepreneur, for example), you can find more meaning in your life and work with little tweaks too. It could be as simple as bringing a greater sense of gratitude and presence to your days. Investing more time in the relationships that are important to you. Getting back in touch with your spirituality (add spirituality post link). Making more time for joy. Cultivating self-compassion. Taking the risk to share more of your true self with the world.
Are you going to answer the call?
Admittedly, these are big existential questions that may seem daunting, and so sometimes, a little help and support can go a long way in helping you to peel back the layers to make a stand for what’s important to you in life. I love doing that sort of work with clients, and it’s why I’ve decided to get back into offering life coaching, in addition to continuing to do executive coaching.
What’s the difference?
While they have some similarities, and I take a holistic view to work with clients, the big difference is that in executive coaching, the main emphasis tends to be you at work, whereas with life coaching, work may be a component of what we work on, but it tends to be a broader focus.
I’ve seen the transformations that can happen for people when they really decide to go towards that little voice, instead of choosing to continue to ignore it. Life becomes richer, more rewarding, more freeing. (…and in case you’re wondering, these people are still successful too – but they can actually enjoy it).
If you’d like to learn more about my life coaching, click here.
