Do you wonder if you are good enough?
The pattern and the trap of this is that we are working from the outside in, looking for external validation to feel OK about ourselves. It just doesn’t work that way. We might enjoy some reprieve from the anxiety of thinking “I’m not enough”, but it will swiftly return because we are constantly looking for confirmation that we are OK from the outside. But it is not an outside job. The job is done from the inside.
This is how it worked for me.
There is an investment in your life, whether it is the work you do, building relationships with family, friends and colleagues or life projects. There is the time, energy and focus. And then there is a depth to your investment that takes time to drop into and therefore takes time to step out of.
How different would your life be if you felt worthy? Not based on some criteria created by unknown ghosts from the past you never met who said it should be so. But based on how nature intended. So that you listened to the inner voice of wisdom that guides you to your highest potential. A potential that keeps evolving as you evolve. How free would you feel? What would you create? How would you do things differently? How would you show up? How would you view failure and how would you learn from your mistakes? And how would that inspire the next stage of your development and growth?
Inherent self-worth is not about being perfect. It is about being on the playing field of life.
I wanted to share with you the learning from my recent medical emergency. Just to say, all is well. In fact, I have not felt better, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. You will see why as I share. And the reason to share? Well, it crystallises my own learning and it may offer some insight for your own journey of personal growth and self-mastery. At the very least, it might be a good read.
Have you ever needed resolve to follow through on something in service of a larger goal? Or fiercely defended a person, belief, purpose or value that is dear to you and under threat? Have you taken decisive action, even in the face of opposition or disinterest in service of integrity? Are you ever bravely vulnerable in your relationships and share something with a partner or friend where there is the risk they will laugh at, or ridicule, you? Do you open yourself to risk of failure? If you have done any of these, you would have recruited the Warrior archetype.
Conversely, if you haven’t, would it serve you to cultivate Warrior, so that you are better able to honour these qualities in yourself?
Lover is the archetype of love, tolerance, compassion and empathy. Lover shows us the beauty of connection, humanity and our capacity to care for ourselves, each other and the world. Through intimacy, Lover shows us how we are all the same. Sometimes, the hurts of life are too much. Lover cannot always keep the heart open. There are times connection is too hard. When this happens, we close down and withdraw.
And it is right to do so. Sometimes, turning inward allows the reflection, synthesis and transformation required to open again with more strength. The broken heart requires tenderness, care and nurturing to heal.
Grief is a challenging process. Not least because there are often painful feelings to work through. These sensations, feelings and emotions can range from anger, resentment, remorse, emptiness and loss to relief, hope and peace. There is no road map for grief. People grieve in their own way.
The archetypes are a map and model of personal growth. They point to your qualities and greatness and the pitfalls you might encounter that hold you small, in limitation and fear. And they offer a way out of that fear and into choice, freedom and expansion.
Are you a life coach? Or a person looking for life coaching? Either way, archetypes are an excellent model to work with to access the deep potential available within the coaching session and within you as an individual- both coach and client.
How can the archetypes support you in your leadership? There is self-leadership and leadership of others, as well as collaboration- leadership with others. Archetypes can inspire you to great leadership in all these areas as an individual, and as a parent, partner and work colleague.
At The Embodiment Conference, listen to David talk about archetypes and an embodied system for inner leadership and self-empowerment.