Aahh Rumi. “Don’t you know yet? It is your light that lights the world.”
What lights you up? Where do you feel you’re in your element? When do you feel you’re doing what you’re here to do?
Does that get crowded out of your normal life?
Do you wait to do it until you have free time, until your responsibilities and “real work” are taken care of?
What if what lights you up is your real work?
Pablo Picasso said, “The purpose of life is to find your gift; the meaning is to give it away.”
What if what you find intriguing is what makes you intriguing? What if it is your gift?
What if you honored it the way it deserves?
What if you understood that being lit up means you have achieved a rare alchemy of your talents coming to life and it is your responsibility to contribute them?
What would that look like?
Would you put it on your calendar and schedule it so it doesn’t get squeezed out?
Would you say THANK YOU and receive and revel in what has been gifted to you and gift it back?
A client said, “Sam, I agree with this in theory. However, I’m a single mom. I work Monday through Friday and weekends are for my kids. I don’t get enough time with them as it is, I can’t imagine doing something just for me on Saturday or Sunday when that really is the only time we get to spend together.”
I told her, “I understand that. It’s just that taking yourself out of your own story may not be the message you want to send your kids. What you’re unintentionally modeling is that moms don’t have a life of their own, they’re supposed to sacrifice themselves for their children.”
“Wow, that’s a little harsh.”
“I’m speaking from experience. When my sons were young, I was on the road a lot because of my speaking. I promised myself that when I was home, they would be front and center. That seemed right and fair at the time. Then I got a book deal and it meant I needed Saturdays (and nights) to finish the manuscript.
At first I felt guilty, like I was taking time away from them. But they had their own friends and sports. They were the ones who told me I didn’t have to be at every baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer game and match.
As adults, they’ve both told me now that what I modeled for them was that moms (women) have their own interests, needs and priorities. That doesn’t mean we don’t love our kids and want to be there for them. It means we do that in balance with being there for ourselves too.”
So, how about you? Are you putting a creative project aside because you’re busy taking care of other people? What if those people really want you to do more of what you love? What if they want you to take responsibility for your own health and happiness so they feel you’re not abandoning yourself for them?
Wouldn’t that be the best of both worlds? You get to be there for your loved ones and you also get to be there for yourself? Isn’t that closer to the example we want to set for everyone?
Want to identify a priority project and then figure out how to position, message and market it so it succeeds at the level it deserves? Check out our How to POP! Masterclass (https://www.intrigueagency.com/popmasterclass) starting March 30.