When someone asks you, ‘tell me about yourself?’ what do you say? Do you start listing the many roles or titles you have in your life. For example, I am a mum, a wife, a friend, a daughter, a yoga teacher, a life coach, an accountant… the list of roles we hold is very long.
How do you think about yourself internally? Do you identify with even more roles, ones that you don’t want others to know about? I am stressed, I am tired, I cannot live up to expectations… Often internally, we take on roles that are more negative than those we project outwardly and by doing this we limit our beliefs, choices and ability to pursue new opportunities.
For example, when living with a chonic illness, it is easy to use it as an excuse or a reason not to step outside your comfort zone, thinking ‘I can’t beause…’. Believing you can’t do something is self-forfilling, if you believe you can not do something, you will never be able to. For this reason, I never tell people I am a diabetic, I always say I live with diabetes, it is something I have not something that I am.
Do any of your roles really describe you? I have always struggled with the question, who am I? And how do I describe myself to others. Through my yoga practice and teachings of self knowledge from my teachers, I have learnt that I am not the roles that I do or the ones that I give myself internally. Being a mum is something I do and it is very important to me, but it is does not describe who I am.
What if you could shed these roles and see them just as things that you do or things you have or what is important to you. It does not deminish their value, but it frees you from their limitations. Especially when you let go of the roles that have negative feelings or limitations attached.
Think of the freedom this could give you, if you could have separation from your roles and see them as what you have or do, rather than who you are. What could come through then? What opportunities would be available to you?
This freedom would allow for growth and create space for new things to come into your life. You may even be surprised with what comes to you isn’t what you thought you wanted, but is even better than you could have ever imagined. Working with a coach can release you from limiting beliefs caused by identifying with your roles, unlocking your hidden potential and giving you the freedom to reach for your goals and your wildest dreams.
I would love to connect with you, if this has sparked something in you, or if you have a goal that inspires and excites you. Connect with me today.
Xo
Jo