You get to a point in life when there are pivotal moments where the decisions you make can take you to a new level, or see you come tumbling down. The rambling inside your head plays havoc with the choices that lay in front of you, and all you can do is try to find the logic in what needs to be done to get to the other side.
Being vulnerable shows that you are human. It's a trait that I like a lot in people and rarely do we get to see those around us expose themselves in that way. But if you understand what makes you vulnerable, you will be able to work on yourself and handle things in life as they come, with more assurance.
Everyone is insecure in some way. I am. Things that make me insecure are fairly basic:
- That people see me as a failure. I don't know why, but sometimes I feel like I am not living up to expectations.
- That people see me as a success. Once again, this tag is so loaded. What is success? Success means so many different things to so many different people. From a business perspective, I have achieved more than I set out to, but personally, I'm not successful. I haven't accomplished the things I thought I would have, but there still is time to do so and hope.
- That I am not perfect. No-one is. I know this to be true, but deep down I want to always do things right.
- Milestones are sometimes not met and that makes me feel like perhaps I am not good enough.
There are so many things to be insecure about but then there is the other side and my forties have taught me this:
- I look how I look because that is how I am meant to look. I would like to lose a few kilos, but I'm happy with who I am.
- You can dress me up for any occasion and I can walk into that room knowing that there will be a seat for me at the table because I deserve to be there.
- The seat at the table is more prominent than in my twenties or thirties - how awesome is that!
- I can accomplish anything I set my mind to, as long as I work hard and keep that goal in my mind reminding myself of it each and every day.
- I am who I am and my personality is pretty much set in stone. If you don't like me, then that is more than ok. We don't all have chemistry with every person on the planet.
- I believe that you can always improve yourself by reading, listening and growing as an individual.
- There is no such thing as "can't".
- My life is full of choices and sometimes I will make good ones and sometimes I will make not so good ones.
- Cherish the people in your life but know that they are there for a reason, a season or a lifetime. If someone isn't there for a lifetime, then that's ok.
- Rid yourself of anyone negative; workplace, home, life. The moment I made a decision to cut people out of my life that is negative, unkind, selfish, self-centered and just mean to me or others - I stopped having any drama in my life. Amazing huh!
My next move with Marketing Eye and Robotic Marketer is defining for both businesses. I have choices to make and I really hope that I make them count. I have people that rely on me and want to take this journey - and I want it to be the ride of their lives. They are all in. I am all in. It's just remarkable to be around.
Life is meant to challenge you. Don't take a door shutting as the worse thing to happen. Take it as a blessing in disguise or something that you can learn from. If you handle yourself less than well in a situation, remember what it felt like and how you could have done better. Then next time, take yourself back to that memory and try in earnest to have a better outcome.
Life is meant to be extraordinary. Don't choose the ordinary version.