It has been ages since I’ve blogged and I wasn’t much of a blogger before. I have so much going on and so many thoughts – I am chosing to blog and get them out. Perhaps some of my thoughts can help others too.
While I am still providing business coaching services, I have chosen to pursue and additional business venture. I have been learning about the company XanGo and I LOVE what I am learning. What I love most about the company is the people.
In my past, I have had a lot of people close to me act like nay sayers for the business ventures or activities in which I have participated. Starting with this new company, I had the opportunity to attend Summer Surge – a weekend XanGo event. My great aunt’s 90th birthday is being celebrated during the Summer Surge event in Seattle. Family is in town and I had to make a choice of how and when I was going to participate with both. I am missing part of the Summer Surge to attend the party. I am also missing part of the family festivities in order to attend the Summer Surge. Both are important to me and I found a level of participation in both activities that my husband & I were in agreement about.
Going back to nay saying, one of my family members heard I was participating in the Summer Surge and said, “Are you going to sell that?” It wasn’t so much what was said, it was how it was said – very negatively, full of what I would call disgust. At first it was all I could do to answer and when I did, I answered (pitifully), “I’m just checking it out.”
Later I was so angry that I didn’t have a more confident response. What was going on inside me was:
- I didn’t want her to think poorly of me
- I want people to like me
- I hate arguements
- Oh boy, here we go again – another time where I am going to have to ignore part of my life with my family in order to keep the peace
And then I noticed that I was pulling away from my decision to start in this business. Has this ever happened to you? Unfortunately, I stayed in that place for a longer time than I care to admit.
I can honestly say that I am out of that spot. I don’t care what my family has to say about what I am doing. They can choose their path like I can choose mine. I am choosing a path that helps people on a physical, emotional, and economic level. I am a person who builds up myself at the same time as I build up those around me.
I want to thank Lennon Ledbetter for an amazing statement he made tonight at the Summer Surge. This statement was, “I like myself best when I am with _____.” As he finished this statement, I immediately had tons of names popping into my head – and it made me start to cry. I have an amazing group of people that make me feel good and build me up. These are the people I choose to be around and that I want on my team as I am growing in XanGo. I feel blessed with the opportunity to make the decision to move forward and run with this new business. I am much clearer on my objective and my big why. My why is selfish and that’s ok.
“I” is my big why. I want to be inspired, built up, loved, challenged to be more and celebrated with through my victories. Not pulled back. I want to be a role model for my kids and have them say with pride, “I’m proud of you, Mom.” By focusing on being around good people that build me up and make me feel good about who I am, I can return the favor – which is what I LOVE to do!
I am reminded of the airplane analogy – Make sure you put your own oxygen mask on first and then help others. I can’t be any good to anyone else without being my own best friend and choosing then to surround myself with people who allow me to be my best.
I look forward to some wonderful conversations with friends and family as I share with them how they came to mind when I thought of who made me feel at my best. A very happy thought to dream about.
