What are your dreams and ambitions? Are you putting off taking steps towards achieving them? Are there things you dream of achieving, yet something stops you taking action?
I spent much of my younger life setting unrealistically high expectations of myself; and believing that asking for help was a sign of weakness. Striving for perfection in everything I did while anything less would result in a sense of disappointment. More recently though I’ve learned that it’s unhealthy to be so hard on myself and that when you seek out guidance people genuinely step forward in offering support.
We all need a helping hand from time to time and it’s ok to say you need help in achieving something new. We can’t know all the answers to everything, so my experience of opening up to the acceptance of help has inspired me to want to share with you some of the awesome inspiration I have been given by others.
Over my career I have been privileged to have worked with some of the most awe-inspiring leaders in the HR space … over time as my career has evolved and I’ve moved to new roles in new businesses I have been able to transition these fantastic work relationships into lifelong friendships – which from time to time I lean upon for advice. These are people that have worked so closely with me that they know what I’m all about, what motivates me and where my ambitions are set. Which means that when I’m stuck they know how to reignite me, even though years have passed since we’ve worked together.
Some recent advice took the form of a book recommendation which has been transformational for me.
Gabrielle Bernstein is an author, inspirational speaker, coach and mentor. She has overcome the extreme adversity of beating drug and alcohol addiction and turned her life’s work to giving herself and others real meaning and purpose. Reading her book; The Universe Has Your Back challenged my thinking and gave me the confidence I needed to take a leap of faith into a new direction.
Gabby’s philosophies may seem a little unconventional to many… she speaks of the universe guiding us all in our unique paths. Feeling strongly that there is a force beyond our physical selves shaping the opportunities life presents to us. Whether this is something you believe in or not, what Gabby also does is give practical techniques to help boost self-belief. Often in conventional management and leadership development approaches reference is made to removing our “self-limiting beliefs” whereby we practice methods to re-frame our negative thinking into a positive mindset. Gabby reinforces this more so through the notion of positive affirmations.
Positive Affirmations are statements that can help us to challenge and overcome self-sabotaging and negative thoughts. When we repeat them often, and believe in them, we have a greater ability to take positive action. Affirmations can help us to increase our self-belief and decrease both anxiety and stress. Positive affirmations can take many forms, here are some of my own; I am good enough… I am resilient … I am worthy … I am love.
Love is an interesting one you may think! However, I recently learned of an historical social experiment known as “Frederick Experiment” which utterly shocked me.
During the thirteenth century, the German king, Frederick II, conducted an experiment intended to discover what language children would naturally grow up to speak if never conversed with. King Frederick removed babies from their mothers at birth and put them in the care of nurses who were banned from speaking in their presence. A second rule was also set; the nurses were not allowed to touch the children. Unsurprisingly Frederick’s experiment was cut short, but not before something distressingly consequential regarding human nature was revealed. As you would guess, the babies grew up to speak no language at all but not because they hadn’t learned a language, rather it was because they all died. It was noted that lacking in affection and touch the babies literally died for want of love.
Modern science is now proving through controlled studies that humans are engineered to need love for survival. This whole experiment astonished me, but at the same time made complete sense.
My interpretation is that my need for support and help from others is in a sense a need for love … and in turn I am able to offer back that love, through support and guidance to people when they call upon me. It goes full circle!
So, whatever it is you are striving to achieve grab hold of the help people offer up to you and don’t go it alone. Life is for loving.
DREAM BIG : BELIEVE BIGGER
All photography credited to https://chanellejade.com/ @neljadephoto
DREAM BIG : BELIEVE BIGGER 
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