After publishing my first book, I heard from numerous people that it was full of lessons. I have pondered that perspective over the last few years as I thought of the specific lessons I perceived. I was intrigued by what others were experiencing through my words. I now realize that I did not have a full sense of my book – “Pathways, Puzzles, and Possibilities: A Magical Journey of Transformation”, and how the messages within it resonated with readers in diverse ways.
Ultimately the feedback shared gave me pause as I considered writing a second book; one based on a completely different concept from the first one. The comments about the lessons caused me to step back and ask myself the question – “If the first book is full of lessons, why not use them as the starting point for the next book?”
To step outside of my view of the book and gain insight into how others perceived the lessons it contained, I asked some friends and colleagues to be part of a discussion group. The initial conversations have helped me see nuances, connections, and lessons in the book in an unexpected way. One lesson I noticed is how the book speaks to the journey that is sometimes needed for us to find or re-find our true self.
While some people have a clear sense of their true self from childhood, life circumstances and situations may lead others to:
- Hide who they are out of fear, self-doubt, etc.
- Play the chameleon by being what others expect of them
- Allow the voice of naysayers to override their sense of self
- Follow the path of their family of origin in order to belong / fit in.
In recent months, I’ve seen a few Facebook videos that for me highlighted the journey of sharing one’s true self and thus encouraging others to do the same. They are as follows:
- There was a recent singing audition on Britain’s Got Talent by the woman who sang “Never Enough” in “The Greatest Showman”. While there were mixed reactions to her auditioning, her act moved her singing ability from a name in the credits to a face we could see. She allowed the truth of who she is to be seen.
- On the show “What Would You Do”, there was an episode highlighting reactions to a high school student coming out to his coach. What I remember most from this episode is something Adam Rippon, who was advising, said in an interview. He said “I owe it to that young kid to say something” thus serving as a role model for others through his own experience of sharing his true identity.
There are also times when our true self goes through a metamorphosis such as when we:
- Go through a divorce
- Become an empty nester
- Shift into retirement
- Lose a job
- Start a business
- Experience an illness
In these situations, we need to re-find, or sometimes re-fine, our true self.
If you are on the path to finding your true self, I invite you to consider Blueprint Coaching. It is an amazing 1:1 coaching program designed to uncover your life’s blueprint and work through the shadows that stand in the way of your greatest self. More details are available here.
© 2022, Systems of Change, LLC