Being Bold
Posted on January 22, 2020 by Renee Nash - CPCC ACC, One of Thousands of Leadership Coaches on Noomii.
More discussion on living a Bold and Daring life.
In our last Discussion on Authenticity (How we show up for ourselves and others) I posed these 8 questions. Let’s take a deeper look into why these self reflective questions can help us show up more fully for ourselves and others.
What are you passionate about?
Feeling passionate about something can generate energy and drive. When we first discover that there is something we feel strongly about, or a cause that is important to us, or an activity that uplifts us what is the first thing we do? Sadly, oftentimes we judge it. Is this worthwhile? Can I really make a difference? The answer is YES, if you have feelings about it I encourage you to pursue it with your whole heart. That is fully living. To ignore our passions is a half lived life. I invite you to comment on what your passionate about!
What can you not live without?
This question was meant to help us understand what we are not willing to give up. This is important for me to understand because it helps me draw clear boundaries on what I will endure and sacrifice for the sake of my well being. Having that defined makes it so much easier for me to communicate to my world on what is negotiable and what is not. We often say we want healthy boundaries but what are those boundaries?
Who inspires you?
Inspiration helps us see that there is an avenue for our pursuits. In my practice I always ask my clients to name someone, anyone, alive or dead that they would love to invite over for dinner. At that dinner they get to ask them any question but then they have to tell that person why they invited them. This discovery helps us see what we value in others and how we can aspire to step into that value. Tell me who you would invite.
What angers you?
We always say that anger is bad. I agree that inappropriate anger can be damaging but what is wrong with a little healthy dose of being just plain mad. I pose this question because finding what angers us can give us some wonderful data on what is important to us and what triggers us. What is inside that anger? What would you do differently?
Why do you get up in the morning?
Often people say they get up just to get through another day. This tells me that they are settling, perhaps they don’t feel they deserve more. Othertimes people tell me they get up with excitement to experience the blessings they have. What I see differently in both of these scenarios is gratitude or the lack of it. If we are grateful for the ability to wake up each day than we can see the gifts each unique day can bring. If gratitude is absent I see regret and disappointment. Add a dose of gratitude each morning and see if you notice that shift.
If you had the perfect life what would that look like?
This leaves room for imagination and dream making. Go big, make stuff up, be bold! Oftentimes when we dream really big we can find a nugget of what is important to us and why. This type of fantasizing can show us what our heart longs for. Allow yourself to go there and then find something to take back that you can work towards. You might be surprised.
What do you hide from others?
What beautiful gifts do you have that others can’t see? Why are you holding back? This speaks to how bold and courageous we are in our lives. I’ve heard terms like “your doing too much” “you care too much” “you don’t need to do that”. These terms are limiting and they prevent us from living full expressions of who we are. I dare you to let out how much you care, how much you want to do and how far your willing to go and see what happens. When the judgements begin flying just dodge them and keep on going. Who you are is a gift and a blessing. Let it out!
What do you feel is the nicest thing you’ve done in your life?
I pose this question to my clients as well. This highlights the kindness we have and what is important to us. I like to bring this to our attention so that we can continue to act with kindness and to be proud of what we’ve done. This awareness can help us feel more courageous in helping others.
I’m sure your seeing a common thread through most of these questions and pondering. Self awareness and being willing to live life to the fullest. Don’t settle for less. Be Bold!
