Showing Up BIG

One of the things I love to do is to read, reflect, and write about what helps people grow and become more whole and successful in life. The more I study and learn, the more I see how much we have in common as human beings and how much we share with all of life on this planet. Recently I have been reading the work of Brene Brown and I highly recommend her books and I decided to share some thoughts and reflections on success.

In the past I have written that success in relationships is determined by our willingness to work on two areas of personal development: growing up and showing up. As I think about it, I believe these are the keys to success in general. The good news is these are things we can all work on and improve every single day. The even better news is it is a lifelong journey, which keeps life interesting and challenging to the very end.

Growing up is about knowing ourselves and taking responsibility for our own lives. It is not about being in control because ultimately we don’t really control anything. It is more about learning to be open, vulnerable, courageous, and authentic. When we are authentic we stop blaming and making excuses and we simply focus on being the best we can be in each moment on the journey. Growing up requires a willingness to look inward and confront our fears, our emotional wounds, our shame, and in the process discover our dreams and our greatness. It is the” daring way” that Brene Brown talks about in Daring Greatly.

Showing up is about our willingness to change and to do what it takes to be successful. The path to success, in my opinion, stretches our capacity over time to be more loving and courageous people. This is very demanding and we need to be intentional about it. It means paying attention to what’s really important, doing our best to see the truth of each situation, finding the courage to speak the truth to one another respectfully, and consistently putting in the work to find solutions and do the right things.

Brene has written a recent book called Rising Strong and she talks about showing up BIG:

B – Boundaries. Be willing to know and to say what is okay and what is not okay. This is an important way to show respect for yourself and for others.

I – Integrity. Have the courage to say and do the right things and live your life in harmony with your values.

G – Generosity of Perspective. Giving others the benefit of the doubt and choosing to believe they are doing the best that they can, given the tools they have and the circumstances they are dealing with.

It has been my intention to show up BIG with all of those I have worked with over time. Thank you to all who have allowed me the privilege of walking beside you on a piece of your journey. I wish the best for each of you and look forward to hearing from you about your progress.