What Defines You?
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I’ve been doing a lot of driving around the LA area lately. I have to admit, I don’t know the roads all that well yet and I seem to think I am lost!
Even with GPS, I find myself traveling down unfamiliar streets instead of the direct route to where I’m going. When this happens my palms start to sweat and I find myself gripping the steering wheel tighter as the realization that I may be lost sets in.
Relax Jen, I tell myself…use your tools…breathe…loosen your grip…listen to the directions…you got this. Inevitably I’m not as lost as I think and I find my way back to where I ‘m going. Every day when I get in my car now, it’s a new adventure. I have another chance to experiment…try a new route…see a new neighborhood…take a different way.
Experimentation and Adventure has been a new practice for me over the past several years. As most of you know, often in the past, I defined myself as being “anxious” which is what I had practiced for the better part of my life. By allowing myself to experiment…be curious…be adventurous, I’ve taken my authority back…a true sense of power!
The Power of a podcast
I normally listen to music while driving, but lately I’ve been experimenting with Podcasts. The sound of a person’s voice just like my confident GPS voice, calms me.
Oprah has an amazing podcast called “Oprah’s Master Class.” << Click the link to Subscribe on Apple Podcast
On it you can hear people from all walks of life share their perspectives on life in their own words. I truly love when others are vulnerable in sharing their truths without the fear of judgment from others.
The other day while on my way home I listened to an episode with Goldie Hawn. I’ve always been attracted to her humor…with her ability to give herself permission to radiate imperfection, especially in her cut throat industry.
Goldie spoke about winning an academy award, saying yes, it’s wonderful and a great thing to get recognized for something you’ve done, but it’s a moment in time. Nothing is permanent. Living off of those accolades and awards will never “define” who you are.
She went on to say:
“I define myself by my ability to give.”
“I define myself by my ability to understand.”
“I define myself by my ethics and my truth.”
“These are the things that inform who I am other than exterior moments.”
WOW! Isn’t that the truth! I was so excited listening to her words that when I caught sight of myself in the rearview, mouth wide open, I had to laugh at what someone watching me might think. I looked just like my daughter Elly in this picture! haha
I felt as if I had just received an academy award!!! I actually put the podcast on pause until I got home so I could listen to it again at my desk and begin sharing this message with you.
So here is my version of Goldie’s message:
I define myself by…
My ability to give without the expectation of receiving…What would it look like to actually give without the expectation of receiving?
I define myself by…
My ability to understand without judgment…What would it look like to understand someone else’s view without judging them?
I define myself by…
My integrity and my ethics…What would it look like to “stand out” instead of “blending in” to another’s belief system? I call that the “chameleon syndrome.”
This, my friend, builds “Truth!”
We can all allow ourselves to be defined by our houses, careers, family and friends…that’s easy….but does that feel true to you?
Take some time to think about what defines you. You may be surprised to find that when you experiment with an alternate view, life gives you the opportunity to shift some old habits and behaviors….
Simply, another way of looking at what defines you from the INSIDE OUT……
Stay tuned for more “AHA” moments throughout the summer!
XO,
