How to Really, Truly, Deeply, Honestly, Thoroughly…Trust (& Become an Optimist)
This week has been a roller coaster, but once I thought I was at the bottom I was shot back up to the top again. In that instant, I made this video.
Spoiler alert: I don’t cry, but I almost cry. Through the whole damn thing. So it almost adds up to a real cry. Please don’t ask for a refund.
How to Really, Truly, Deeply, Honestly, Thoroughly, Trust (& Become an Optimist) from WhenIGrowUpCoach on Vimeo.
Tags: Meaningful Mindsets, Vocal Videos
March 17th, 2010 at 3:06 am
I loved this. I can totally relate to the Pessimistic Optimist. I feel like I'm currently in this mindset and I'm so desperately trying to become just purely Optimist. Thank you so much for sharing this.
March 17th, 2010 at 4:27 am
You are a superstar Michelle! ♥ What an inspiration you are. Keep doing YOUR THING lady. You were born to do this.
xo & major, big time belief in you,
Carmen
March 17th, 2010 at 4:50 am
@Alisha – As a former optimistic pessimist/pessimistic optimist (I'm honestly not sure which I was), I have to tell you that it is SO not an overnight transformation. The biggest "tip" I can give is to honestly let go of all expectations, good or bad. Just keep moving forward with your work/plan & what feels right to you, & do what you can to trust as much as you can, both in yourself & your situation. It ain't easy & definitely takes a lot of conscious thinking, but it can (& will!) happen!
@Carmen – Can I keep you in my pocket & take you out to tell me nice things? You're so, so good at making me feel so, so good! Thank you so, so much for it!
March 17th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
You are so stupendous. (See? Alliteration! I'm learning from you already.) Thank you for sharing with such honesty how scary this transition is, and also how incredible. You're the first person I've encountered to just completely admit that yes, this time is wonderful, and it's also scary as can be. I can't wait to keep watching you succeed.
March 17th, 2010 at 3:30 pm
Thank you so much for this, and really for sharing how it is unfolding and what the process really is like for you. I feel like there are maybe as many "shoulds" wrapped up in the culture of embracing authenticity and jumping into entrepreneurship as their are in the "stay where you are" standard way. (Maybe part of that is my vampires whispering…)
Your phrase "follow that path in a way that sits well with you" really hit home for me. So did the reminder that finding and doing the thing that lights me up doesn't have to involve shirking the responsibilities of being an adult, which are also really important to me. To know I can trust in my feelings because it doesn't mean that my logic is totally turned off is such a huge relief. Thank you.
March 19th, 2010 at 3:55 am
This was a very powerful post! I like what you said about creating one's own life. I think it's sometimes hard to tell when we are creating and when we are being lead…when we are doing what's right for us and when we are just doing what everyone tells us is right. I struggle with this. Thanks for sharing your journey!
March 19th, 2010 at 9:37 am
Thanks Michelle
March 19th, 2010 at 10:57 am
I know this might sound crazy, but "welcome to the Trust Club!" I totally understand everything you are going through. Way to work through it. I promise that the trust you've sprouted will definitely get stronger over the years.
March 21st, 2010 at 7:57 pm
I don't know you but I was so touched by your video. It made me cry because I know just how you feel… in the face of great opposition it can be so hard to "go confidently in the direction of your dreams." I haven't taken the full-time leap yet, but I took the "part-time job/part-time artist" leap a couple months ago. You are amazing, girl! Be encouraged by all the thousands of people behind you… I hope you have all the success in the world! I have a feeling I need to spend a lot more time on your blog/website to soak all of this in. haha People like us need all the encouragement we can get… and you are a wellspring of it. Thanks for following your dream… so we can all muster the courage to chase our own. : )
Just wanted to encourage you and thank you for all you do….
Amanda
March 22nd, 2010 at 2:49 am
@Kylie – Y'know, when I first started writing this blog, I thought I had to convey myself as all-knowing. A life coach had to have her whole life figured out, right? Right. So I wrote just the worst, most boring posts ever (if you go all the way back to my archives you'll see 'em – I keep 'em there to remind myself what NOT to do) until I realized that I wouldn't even read my own blog! I opened myself up & promised, from there on out, to tell the truth, whether it's about my accomplishments, my fears, my goals or my challenges. And by doing that, I was able to really find the connection with my readers that I dreamed of. So yes, you have my guarantee that I'll share the wins & what the Vampires whisper in my ear. I'm not scared.
@Jen – You so hit it on the head. The main reason I decided to name my business When I Grow Up is because, at the age of 27, I would always get a great big laugh when I would say, "I don't know what I wanna be when I grow up." I realized these adults were laughing because they felt that, too – how can you create a fulfilling life for yourself when you have adult responsibilities? That's where most people hit that roadblock, tricking themselves into thinking they can't possibly pursue their passion as their career because they have kids, and/or a mortgage, etc etc. The key here is to not ignore those responsibilities, but to see how you can do it in spite of them. I am totally convinced that there's always a way for everyone – it's just taking the time & having the patience to find it. Oh, & I hafta add that just because you're a grown-up doesn't mean there's no time to play & have fun!
@S.E. – Ain't it nuts when you can't differentiate what you want from what everyone else tells you what you want? It's so common, though! Whether it's coming from family or friends or Society At Large, it's sometimes really difficult to figure out. I would highly suggest going to your favorite quiet spot & just letting yourself be still. Notice what comes up. Let your thoughts just go in any direction they please. If you find journaling helpful, take one along & write, write, write. Or, take a few minutes & simple write doing What You're Doing in a bulletpointed list. When you have everything on paper, go through the list one by one & star which ones excite you. If it's hard to figure out, close your eyes & think of yourself doing that thing for a little while. Open your eyes & observe how you're feeling. Are you excited, inspired, thrilled? Or do you just shrug your shoulders? That'll be a big hint into what's really going on.
@Alisha – Absolutely!
@Jess LC – It's so nice to hear you say that! I have to admit I was thinking it might be Beginner's Trust, fading over time. I think I need to make sure to keep checking in with myself every few weeks to make sure I'm still trusting & feeling "right" in my choices. That's definitely my north star.
@Amanda – Thanks so much for all of your kind words! It's my first day as my own boss today, & what a wonderful thing to read first thing in the morning. And congrats on your two part-time jobs! That is SO amazing – you're on your way to going confidently in the direction of your dreams, & I promise that if you just keep working you'll get there. It might not be overnight, but it'll happen eventually, & that's what matters. When I started my life coaching classes I had no idea when I'd be able to make the leap to full-time coach, but if you told me in Aug 2007 that it would happen in March 2010 I might have groaned & made a motion like I was shooting myself in the head. But looking back in Mar 2010 to Aug 2007, it doesn't seem like a long time at all! And I have to admit, it's really gratifying to see how far I've come in that "short" amount of time. You can do it, Amanda!
March 31st, 2010 at 6:30 am
Wow, wow, wow! I've been out of the loop for the past few weeks–not keeping up on my blogs, and I am so amazingly delighted to hear the news that you have gone full time. I wish you so many wonder-filled, calm days. I wish you all the grounding, hope, and perspective. I wish you bucket fulls of luck! Oh, what a wonder! Happy day! Hope your first couple weeks are going so well!
March 31st, 2010 at 12:40 pm
Thanks, Blue! Aw, so sweet of you – I'm smiling super big right now!