The journey without a destination…

Have you ever heard yourself say

something like:

“when I get that new job I’ll have more money”

“when I hit 9 stone I’ll be happy”

or basically anything that starts with “when I…”

So you achieve your goal – more money, a new job, happiness. But:

What do you do when you’ve achieved your goal? Reached your destination? Not aim to develop your career further? Go back to eating the cream cakes and putting on weight again??

The Life Journey

No. You don’t. You set off again in search of new goals, new ways to make yourself happy and fulfilled. You’re on the Life Journey, with its many winding paths through ever changing vistas and backdrops. All our life journeys are unique. My personal life journey is taking me on all sorts of twists and turns; just recently I’ve come out of a forest and into a big open glade full of sunshine.

When I wrote my last post on handling change my journey had taken a surprising change in direction. It led to a year that has been full on to say the least! Inspiring, fulfilling, draining, exciting, challenging, eye-opening, all-consuming, positive, life affirming. My time and energy have been devoured which has meant a whole year since my last post…

But the Usefulista is back now!

Ready to share again my (hopefully!) Useful Learnings, Inspirational Ideas, Powerful Tools, Tested Solutions, Uplifting Anecdotes, New Strategies and Approaches to help you live the best life you can.

Being true to yourself

I’ve recently been reading lots and listening lots as I travel forward on my life (wellbeing) journey. Some work by Brené Brown (The Gifts of Imperfection) is particularly making me think. The full title of the book is “The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are” – and it’s the second part of that which is particularly resonating with me right now.

“Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are”

Brené Brown

Brené uses language such as being your “authentic self” and being real, doing what you should be doing i.e. what feels right, and ‘meaningful work’.

She talks about our desire for truly “belonging” rather than doing anything it takes (and not being the ‘authentic’ you) just so you ‘fit in’. When you add our normal world of keeping up with the Jones’s and comparing ourselves with everyone else, to our new-normal Covid world of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) thanks to the social distancing rules – and you’ve got many of us feeling uncertain where we belong. Or if we belong at all.

Not comparing ourselves to others, and carving time out in our lives for play and rest are all important parts of her research. And things I’m working on.

Ultimately, seeing our imperfections as gifts rather than things to be ashamed of or to hide from others, has to be a profoundly better way to look at ourselves right?

Being our true ‘authentic’ selves, letting people see us for who we really are, and them still wanting to be part of our life. That’s when we truly feel like we belong right?

I found some great thought provoking nuggets of wisdom in her book, and I’m going to read some more of her works, along with other inspirational and wise people (“Think like a monk” anyone?). I will share any Useful learnings back with you!

And that, folks, is my first post back after a long stint of ‘trying not to drown in the overwhelm of life’! (The title of a post I found in my drafts that I’d started writing last October 2019….)

Stay tuned for more regular posts from now on!

Yours usefully

Helena x