The Gift of Time Travel and Authenticity
Back in 2012/2013 I was part of a one-year coaching programme. I was a baby small biz owner and in fact during the programme I left my last full time job and started Sarah Furuya Coaching.
I was on the programme with a group of incredibly talented, smart and sensitive women. On a programme like this you become very close, even if you don't meet in real life, you form bonds that last for life. Recently I received a lovely email out of the blue from a lawyer who was on the same programme.
It was so lovely to receive this because as time marches on and I come more and more into my own, take more and more risks in the business and in life, and hold my own clients accountable to higher and higher imaginings, (and take oh so many selfies), you regularly question yourself. Hit upper limits. Seek out people and information to support your self limiting belief that you are worthless and rubbish and how dare you take so many selfies. You are probably Ted Bundy in a lady.
So receiving something like this, I cannot tell you how welcome and delightful it was. How the timing was so so right (it's always right) and how grateful I was to have a witness.
What I learned form this is:
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1 - Things we invest in now will keep giving in the future
(what is something that you could refer back to now that keeps giving to you - even my Uni degree is proving super useful now - Human Biology and Psychology)
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2 - Showing up and being yourself, fully yourself and genuine - people can sense it and it is the highest gift you can give to another person
(some people won't like it. It will bring up their own shit. You do not have to be vulnerable all the time. You do not have to be pouring your feelings out all over the place although that's fine too. It could just be that you start showing off more - which is essentially what I do. It could be you post that selfy that you feel funny about. Show that joy. Wear that lippy, get that haircut, or just say a thing you want to say. I don't know, just being more genuine and authentic. Reporting more. Living more. Living in the real world, reporting in the SNS world, as opposed to living to report).
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3 - Someone inspired you? Someone being brave and showing more of themselves - had a good haircut? Inspired you to do something. Motivated you to do that thing or take that risk you were afraid to. Then let them know! Let them know. Take that praise and shower them with it. YES even the show-offs. Do it - send a lovely mail. Make someone's day. Even when we post the joyous stuff, we're still being vulnerable because someone somewhere judges anything and everything. They, the judge, just need a bit of love. Of themselves mainly. 🥰Too much of this or that. Not enough if this or that. Elevate each other. Elevate.💫
Thank you lovely running mate. That was a transformational year in so many ways. And I cherish each and every person who went through that experience with me.
I sometimes listen back on the calls still today and love the way we all showed up (although I didn't show up because of the time difference between Portland and Japan, so I hit the Facebook group on the regular).
I couldn't believe the people who were in that group with me - I was overwhelmed with the power; now I get to coach people that like that myself. I am teary with gratitude for all of it. That year I went through a job I had outgrown, my first trip to the USA, quitting my job, coaching, the lowest earning month I have ever done since I started working and all with this incredible group of women who were making headlines and kicking ass at the top of their games.
This reflection, this missive is exactly what I needed right now.
To trust and believe, especially in myself. And you.
To make it easy and keep kind, especially to myself. And you.
Everything is progress. Everything.
To know that this kind of gentle and grateful reflection can yield the pointers and signposts we need to take to calm ourselves. To get back into the groove, the trust and the knowledge that what happens next happens next. And the evidence so far, is that it's going to be pretty good. THE EVIDENCE. Everything that ever happened ever got me here. All of it. Even that month when I earned $400. Then I need to take the action. Now. From the good place.
And to keep being myself and showing up and the right people will find me and be inspired and the wrong people will at least know, that the genuine version of me is not right for them.
Lots and lots of love people.🥰