I read and re-read this single sentence, "I have a deeply hidden and inarticulate desire for something beyond the daily life." Fourteen words which so accurately describe the deep, and often quiet, yearning for a life beyond what we are experiencing on a daily basis.
Where does this restlessness come from and why do we hide it? I'm not really very good at hiding anything about myself so I suspect people see my desire for what lies beyond. (Hint, that's why my business is Beyond Coaching. I know that there are other levels, goals, experiences and achievements out there and I want to help others reach them too!).
If you were to open that conversation and explore where you wanted to go - the place beyond the daily life - and let's say I was in that conversation with you, coaching you through the exploration, I might ask you this series of questions:
If you were to construct your perfect work day, what would it look like? Walk through each step from waking up in the morning to going to bed that night. Mentally walk through it. Would you take a shower before or after you brush your teeth? Would you linger over coffee? What would your office be life when you arrived?
What would your perfect day off look like? Who would be with you? What would you do? Begin at waking and end at closing your eyes that night.
What makes these two days ideal? Describe the components that make it ideal for you.
What are the differences between what your days look like now and the two days that you imagined?
What are the challenges or obstacles you would face if you decided to live in the two days that you imagined?
What resources are at your disposal?
How badly do you want it?
What is one thing that you can do, in the near future, which can move you toward the ideal days you imagined?
What would you do after that first thing?
Our ideal days, our ideal life - the one beyond the daily life - doesn't just happen. We design it. We begin by identifying what the "something" that the quote refers to, is. Then we construct it by putting in the work to reduce or eliminate the things which are not supporting our ideal. Please note, I did not use the word "perfect". I used the word "ideal". "Perfection is the enemy of progress." There are no perfect lives, but there are good, better and best days. I want the vast majority of my days to fall into those categories. And I want to help you with that too, which is why working with executives and their teams is so rewarding for me.
This quote. This woman.
The quote is from Moments of Being. The woman is Virginia Wolfe. The book is a collection of her autobiographical writings.
Virginia Wolfe was a pioneer in stream of consciousness writing and made the genre more widely acknowledged. She was also recognized as a literary modernist and paved the way for other women of her generation and beyond. She has many famous quotes, many of them very amusing. She is worth learning more about.
What I'm Learning
One of the silver linings that came out of 2020 for me was taking the time to learn. I'm not talking about the life lessons or new bits of information that I learn, nearly daily. I'm talking about intentionally spending time to learn something new. Last year I began scheduling time during my work week to learn. I listen to podcasts, listen to audio books and read books and articles. All with the goal of expanding my thoughts and perspectives and learning.
Right now I'm listening to Mel Robbins' podcast, called Start Here. Warning, she isn't for the faint of heart. She really tells it like it is, which I both like and appreciate. What are you learning? And what silver-lining came out of 2020 for you?
Change isn't easy. Often the biggest obstacles are in our own minds. Success coaching is effective because it allows you to have a time and place to explore the possibilities. I work with my clients to create strategies which support and build upon their strengths. Curious to find out more? Schedule a virtual coffee and let's chat. It's free of charge and also risk-free! We will set aside 45 minutes to explore your goals and you can get a taste of how coaching can support you in going beyond daily life.
If you are enjoying Beyond A Pep Talk and know others who would as well, please share! Also, I'd love to hear what you want to learn more about so that I can create content just for you. Email me at Ricki@TransitionBeyond.com with your thoughts, comments or just to share a chuckle.
Commentaires