I have often been asked to quantify the investment I have made in my own personal development, especially when I have repeatedly signed up to work with some pretty amazing coaches. People want to know how much have I paid, was it worth it and most importantly what do I ‘get’ at the end of a three month or six month program. I never really know how to explain it but I am hoping this short metaphor will help. The easiest way to sum it up it is to say I am no longer afraid to paddle out to new waters and the wild seas.
Over the last 18 months, life has thrown a few curve balls at me and my tribe. It has made me reflect on who we are and why we are here on this earth (Deep stuff I know!). The biggest lesson I have learnt is that life’s challenges are always going to appear; death, illness, stress, heartbreak etc. No amount of meditation or mindset work can make these struggles just ‘disappear’. But the harsh truth is that we aren’t here on earth to just soak up the good stuff! We are here to experience the whole spectrum of emotions; to feel everything that makes up the human experience. Perhaps if we hadn’t been through sadness or heartbreak, we would never really appreciate those moments of love, joy and connection
Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying I’m excited to go through hard times, but I have learnt to accept that the dark days will pass. I have realised in recent years that working on my mindset and really investing in my development as a person means I can navigate those days with greater resilience and almost ease; an inner knowing that I will be ok. And isn’t that what we all want from life; to experience the highs of life and then to experience the lows in the ‘easiest’ way possible?
Those of you that follow my social media will know how much I love the sea, especially as I now live right beside it (I promise I will ease off on the beach spam at some stage ha). Just recently I was sitting down watching some surfers navigate the wild waters when this little metaphor for mindset started to take shape in my mind.
Life is like the sea; choppy, calm, unpredictable but constant. All of us are just bobbing along, trying to keep afloat. Sometimes life is full of crashing waves knocking us about and other times the water is calm and gentle as we can soak up the joy of living. However, when the tides turn, that’s when our skills and tools are called into question. I see a few types of ‘humans’ out there in the water.
- There are those of us who try to doggy paddle our way through strong waters, sometimes successfully and sometimes not so much so.
- There are others amongst us who are strong swimmers. We glide through the huge waves, but eventually, we can tire as it’s hard to be strong all the time, relying just on ourselves.
- Then there are those of us who put on our ‘floaty’ armbands to help us keep our heads above water. Sometimes those waves crash right over us and almost push us under.
- And there are also those of us who have found a way to master the waves on our very own surfboards. We can paddle out to deeper waters when we are feeling energised and brave. We can simply rest on the board when we need to recharge. And when life knocks us right off that board, we know we have something solid to cling on to and to carry us back to shore.
This is why I am so passionate about mindset development, simply for the ease it has brought into my life. I have found my surfboard. It does not mean life’s challenges don’t impact me, but I find it easier to stay afloat in my time of need. I try to understand myself at a deeper level and evolve as a person. These tools and practices have become part of my daily routine and I sometimes don’t even realise their importance until I feel unsteady.
So if you have stuck with me this far, I am hoping that this metaphor resonates with you. Perhaps you feel like you are floating along right now or maybe the waves of life are challenging you a little. If so, I am here to help you find your ‘surfboard’. Life doesn’t have to be a constant uphill battle. There are so many ways choices available to you. You are a powerful being, capable of pretty amazing things.
Here’s to experiencing life with greater ease!
With love,
MC