It is your choice!
Will tomorrow be different than yesterday? Are you creating resolutions for the new year? The thoughts in your head that pester you are telling you something. Listen! Are they pushing you forward to become a better version of yourself? Or, are these voices holding you back to a version of yourself that no longer serves who you want to be? The recent, and slightly irreverent, musical comedy, “Spirited” staring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds reminded me of the power we each have to change. It wasn’t the tremendous vocal talent of the stars, but rather the moving message of this time honored Charles Dickens’ story, highlighted by the lyrics of two songs at the end, “Do a little good” and “Ripple”. These songs emphasize that making change in ourselves is hard work and may take practice, but WOW!. Making a change can meaningfully impact who we are, who we want to be, and the value we bring to others. You have a choice to change your step, your voice, and release a better version of yourself.
Each of us play a multitude of roles.
In these roles, we may show up as mother, father, son, niece, grandparent, soccer coach, volunteer, owner, leader, employee…the list goes on. However, our identify is often anchored in just one primary role, “work” or “family”. This is the role you describe first when someone asks what you do. This dominant version of ourselves can sometimes limit our options. Pause for a moment and consider your whole self. You may discover that you have multiple versions of who you really are. How you show up may differ from how you want to show up, and that is OK. The first step is noticing. Is the dominant version of yourself shutting out your true self? Is the best version of yourself, where you are the most full of life, quieted by an obsolete identity? The path you chose has made you who are today. It does not have to limit who you will become tomorrow. Only you can take that first step to allow a better, more complete version of yourself to emerge.
These nagging voices get louder each New Years’ season.
For many, this is the time of year we reflect on changes we want to make. We create plans with the best of intentions, but our visions of new beginnings often fade too quickly. Change can be hard work. We lose the motivation to move forward. Sometimes we fail to start because we do not know how to make the change we want. Sometimes we need help to discover the right change that allows a better version of ourselves to emerge. Changing who we see in the mirror, our vision of who we want to be, is not out of reach. However, you must start with addressing those nagging voices. These voices may be pushing you to free a version of yourself you tucked away long ago. Embrace the versions of yourself that fills you with joy and energy. Recognize if something is holding you back to an identity that doesn’t reflect your current values and who you want to be. Remember, you are powerful! It is your song, your music. How will you express it? How will you create the best version of yourself?
