Don't Compare your Inner Self to Someone's external image

First, know your weaknesses

You cannot eliminate your weaknesses if you are not aware of the, this is why the first step to eliminating a weak or negative habit is to become aware of it. Once you develop awareness about the behaviour you are trying to change, you are giving yourself the opportunity to replace it with one that is more helpful.

When I first started to be engaged as an International Speaker, I would think twice about being seen. I would compare myself to all of those that have gone before me and tell myself that was not me. Furthermore, they were expert speakers, that was their craft and I was “me”, a Business Advisor who knew my own, different craft.

This is not what I would call “imposter syndrome”, it was that I did not believe that it was my place of genius until it dawned on me: I did not need to be anyone else, I just needed to be me and to share my knowledge and keep lifting others.

The story we tell ourselves is important as it is the lens through which we see things. I did not agree to speak for myself, I did it to enable others to know that they could do it too.

Recognising others were feeling it too

In many instances, I began to recognise that I could choose how I was seen and that I did not need to be seen like others chose to “show up”. I began to recognise that my lived experiences were what people wanted to know, not an image of me or a persona.  I recognised that people connected to people and if I was living a life where I truly wanted to create impact, it would not happen by doing what everyone else was doing but by doing “me”.

The aim of my journey was to enable and equip people to simply look in and be themselves; to be real! “Showing” became my motto rather than telling, which is so often what many people do.  I was ok to allow people to see that I too make mistakes.

I could show people that the real you is always the best version. I could show people that I was made of many parts and that I was a “whole” person with various skills, interests, and passions rather than a “filtered” version which is what we so often see.

Going against the Grain

Removing the filters, the pretence, and the perfect photo (as captured on social posts) is how you become aware of your weakness. It is by paying attention to the things that don’t serve you and by making a choice to change that you will get the solutions to what you want from life and for yourself.

Removing yourself from the trapped cycles you are in will attract more of what you really want. By being conscious of my choices, I noticed I started to attract people who truly aligned with my values, instead of spending time where I was not being celebrated or celebrating someone else.  

I transformed my circle of influence to create a real impact for those that chose to do the same.

Obsess over the things that bring you real freedom and joy

Everything in life is what we take away to better equip ourselves to be the person we want to become but first, we need to stop obsessing about what others appear to be doing or to have.

Turn  “Act” to “Action” and make your future about you and what you know to be true rather than a filtered snapshot or story that is selling you a perception of what is unknown. Focus on what is in your circle of influence and make it your circle of impact.

Your mind is the most powerful tool, use it to serve you not to obsess about someone else’s external image.

You choose to “act” or to take “action”. Begin that roadmap of Intentional Conscious Living and keep stepping forward with the lessons from the past.