Do you know that there are many ways to achieve your full potential? This article talks about finding your true self and how it can help you live a fuller life.
All too often we are caught up in our thoughts, looking behind at the past or anticipating the future. In doing so, sometimes we forget to be in the present, express our best selves and experience life to the fullest.
However, life is too short to continue feeling stuck in a place or situation you don’t like despite knowing that you are meant to do much greater things and live a much better life. Do you agree?
If you've been in a similar situation, my conversation with Tracy Brown about tackling rejection, opening new opportunities, feeling empowered, avoiding burnout, and ultimately living a full life by achieving your fullest self might be of help to you.
Tracy Brown is a Life and Career Wellness Coach, partnering with clients to empower them to see the fullest versions of themselves and to follow their dreams. Tracy encourages the nurture and connection of mind, body and consciousness for overall well being.
In Conversation With Tracy Brown, Founder of Switchism
"How To Find Your True, Fullest Self"
Getting stuck in the past acts as a barrier for many people to achieve their fullest self at work . What can we do about this?
Absolutely. Stuckness can happen in work, relationships just in the sense that you are not feeling fulfilled. At times, it is because of people, or circumstances and that can be overwhelming and difficult. But a lot of times, that stuckness is something that we impose on ourselves and we can’t see our way out of. And that’s really a powerful thing to learn. Because something can be done about it once you realise that. We can’t always change our circumstances or situations, but there is a lot we can shift or switch to stop feeling stuck.
How can one not get scared in a situation where he/she feels lost, rather see it as an opportunity or a path of discovery?
The answer lies in the question itself. When you are lost, that’s an opportunity to choose a different place to go. I think that speaks to why a lot of times when people have had a very traumatic event of huge change in their life, then all of a sudden opportunities open up that they haven’t seen before. They get to see the opportunities because there’s a whole paradigm shift in life which allows them to recognize the newer opportunities.
Can you share some tips on how not to over analyse the past or the future and just live and experience the present fully?
The only way to be present is to be present. Do activities where we can just stay as present as possible. For me it’s meditation. Also, recognising and catching yourself whenever you start thinking about the past or analyzing the future, is itself going to bring you back into the present.
Another way is to slow down when you feel like you're not experiencing anything.
How to prevent burnout and handle rejection at work?
No one has the power to reject us until and unless we give them that power.
Accepting ourselves is crucial as we can’t really be rejected if we are not rejecting ourselves. However, fear of rejection is something ingrained in us. It’s important to acknowledge the fear and accept that. Then understand that no one is really rejecting us. They are rejecting their version of us. And if we accept ourselves, it is not going to sting us that bad.
The same goes for burnout. Sometimes, we have to pull up long hours of work or work in toxic environments and there’s not much we can control or do anything about it right away. But if we are not in conflict with ourselves all the time, then at least there’s a level of energy that we can keep within. “When we are fighting, resenting or resisting the situation, that’s when it leads to burnout.”
In a team environment, how can one show that they are passionate about helping everyone without any hidden agenda?
If your intention is to help people, then approach them from pure intention without worrying about how you are going to be perceived. When we try to control what is going to happen, then we are not being our authentic selves. And being authentic doesn’t mean we have to spill our most private dreams or fears, but if we are trying to represent ourselves in a way that’s not what we are working towards then people will pick up on that. And our intentions might be judged.
“You are the sky. Everything else – it’s just the weather.” ― Pema Chödrön. Can you elaborate on this?
Assume that you are flying through clouds in an aeroplane, but you cannot see anything at all. However, you can see the sun and the clouds down there when you rise above them. The point is, just because we are in the middle of these clouds, we almost get to the point where we believe there is no sun. But the sun’s always there.
If you are in the sky, at some point, there may be storms, hails, lightning and at some point, there’s calm and serenity. Because we are so caught up in a cluster of pressure, we fail to see all of this. There’s always something beyond if we expand. Ask yourself, what’s here that I am not seeing?
Coaching helps us see all these parts of ourselves that we fail to see because we are preoccupied with what we despise.
How can one see their fullest self and what does living a full life really mean?
A full life is that which is led with intention and one that is really embraced as a learning experience. It is led in such a way that one can see their potential and move towards it. And that’s going to be different for every single person. Your idea of a full life may not be the same as my idea of a full life.
How do you see coaching as a way to help people find their fullest selves?
A lot of times, we have a whole set of limitations imposed on us by society, by our parents and the organisations. There are self-imposed limitations as well. For instance, when we say, “we are not good at something”, it limits us in the preformed path that we can’t see out of. This is where coaching comes into play.
Coaching helps us find what is it that inspires us. Plus, it creates a sense of belief that it is possible to achieve them.
Any final words for those who want to change their career ?
Change is not only inevitable but also necessary for growth. When you feel stuck in life, see it as an indication to allow changes you have long been resisting. Learn how to navigate change in your life effectively instead of resisting it. Because the only way to live your fullest life is to recognise where you are, overcome your self-imposed limitations, consciously make decisions about where you want to be and take action accordingly.
And when the change is unpleasant in the external world, remember to look within and work on your mindset. That's where the major shift required to transform your life happens!