"The unexamined life is not worth living" - Socrates

If you can imagine a 2x2 of “How well I know myself” and “How well others know me”, you are left with the predicament of these two uncomfortable quadrants (within The Johari Window):

1. Blind Spot: What others perceive about you that you don’t see. 

2. Unconscious: What is unknown to both you and others about yourself.

The truth is that we all inevitably walk around life with a bunch of sticky notes on our backs. These notes describe parts of ourselves that others can see, but we cannot. 

And even more mysterious (or frightening) are the parts of ourselves which are unknown to us and others.

Through the lens of the Enneagram, I’ve uncovered so many parts of my unconscious self. My core motivations, world views, fears, and virtues - everything I describe as what exists “under the surface of the iceberg”.

The surfacing of what had been previously unconscious has been such an illuminating experience - and the impacts on my personal and professional growth as been vast and reverberating.

Read on to learn more about the Enneagram, how it changed my life, and how it could change your relationship to yourself and others. 

G.

CONFESSION: I've deleted this essay multiple times because it wasn't "perfect".

For someone who grew up always trying to be perfectly prepared, polished and polite, I'm still proud of how far I’ve come.

It’s a work in progress, but here’s the new standard I’m aspiring to: “is this my truth?” rather than “is this good enough in the eyes of others?”

I’m finding that the more I share vulnerably, I'm feeling less like an impostor and gaining more confidence in who I am.

Even as leaders in our home and work life, the perfectly polished version of ourselves can create more disconnect or even intimidation from those we want to inspire and care for the most.

So here’s the real view of my “home office” (i.e. my kids playroom) which my clients never see from their side of the screen.

And here is the original essay – untouched, unedited… the one that almost never saw the light of day.

How many of us are moving through the day-to-day motions of our career and life on autopilot mode?

The inertia of the past moving us along the same route and crazy pace we had set in the earlier phase of our career. A time in our lives where we needed to prove, outshine, perform, and “WIN” at all cost.

Coming out of this phase of reexamining my life, I’m trying to live my second act with more intention. It doesn’t mean that everything will go my way, but it already feels so good, being more awake and deliberate about my choices, my actions, and my desired impact.

What would it feel like to start living your life with more intention?

Read on for my story.

One of my favorite myths to debunk as a coach… is that the coach holds more wisdom than the client.

In contrast, one of my favorite Hudson Institute of Coaching pillars is based on this powerful truth:

The Client Is Fully Resourced.

Just as this homing bird on my necklace innately knows how to fly back home, we each carry our own inner compass that can guide us to our truth.

A coach's role is to help you access it and build a stronger muscle for you to get there faster, with more ease.

Working with my amazing clients is a constant source of encouragement and inspiration for me. When I hear their inner wisdom strike, I know that only THEY could have discovered this insight within the space we’ve co-created.

They remind me that I too, can always come home to myself. It’s not about living a perfect life. It’s noticing when I’m feeling off-centered or overwhelmed… so that I can then tune into my inner compass, remember the direction of home, and take flight. 🕊️

Read on to learn more about what it means to return home. Je reviendrai.