Home vs. Lost
My 6 year old daughter recently asked me why I have a bird on my necklace.
I told her that this bird is a homing pigeon - a bird that always knows how to find its way back home.
These birds carry a strong “homing instinct” and have an exceptional ability to navigate to their nesting site, even from long distances. For centuries, they have been used for communication, even in wartime, to carry important messages back home.
The inscription on the pendant: Je Reviendrai. In French, it means “I will return”.
I told my daughter that I wear it every day because sometimes, I lose myself.
I lose myself as I try to keep up with the demands of the world. It becomes difficult to hear my own intuition, my voice, my needs, my truth… all of which I call home.
She looked at me confused and said, “That makes NO sense. How can you lose yourself?”
I laughed and told her that I’m glad it doesn’t make sense to her right now. And I hope this will be the case for a very long time.
Yet, I know that eventually she will understand the meaning of feeling lost… feeling pulled in so many directions of obligations, expectations, fear and duty. One day, she will find it hard to come home to her truth, her needs, her own intuition.
Who am I without my roles?
When I remove what others want from me, what do I even want for myself?
Perhaps that’s just part of life’s journey. As children, we are born so self-assured, self-oriented… then we get lost adapting to the external world. Trying to fit in. Trying to belong. Trying to impress. In many ways, we slowly unbecome the true nature of who we once were.
For the lucky ones, we eventually find moments of coming home to our whole, authentic selves. Finally, our nervous system lets out a big , long exhale. We feel grounded, rooted back to the essence of our being.
Yet, I’ve realized that it’s quite impossible to always stay in this place of feeling grounded. Life always has a funny way of pulling me away.
Which is why in the presence of my own coach, I am always practicing my flight back home.
When I bring up a current challenge in my work or personal life, she is never solving my problems or telling me what to do. Through her presence and deep questioning, I get to navigate to my own truth. Because a great coach always believes that "the client is fully resourced".
How has this changed me?
PEACE: I've accepted that it will always be a dance. Leaving home, coming home, leaving home, then coming home again. My peace is not found in staying home - rather it's the flight back home that strengthens my peace and brings me joy.
CONFIDENCE: I've developed this quiet yet powerful confidence - just in knowing that I carry this inner compass within me at all times.
Working with my coach, I am continuing to strengthen my “homing instincts”. I trust that over time, with continued intention and practice, I will be able to access my wisdom with even more ease and grace.
And my intuition tells me that with more ease and grace in my life... I will start living outwardly the version of myself which reflects a more peaceful, inner world.
Some questions to linger on:
How does this idea of the inner compass within resonate with you?
What would life feel like to be able to access this place of wisdom with more ease?
What might get in the way for you?
Let’s explore these questions together.
Schedule a free conversation with me here.
