L.O.A.F
“Your outlook upon life, your estimate of yourself, your estimate of your value are largely coloured by your environment. Your whole career will be modified, shaped, moulded by your surroundings, by the character of the people with whom you come in contact every day.”
The quote above hit a chord with me. We are strongly influenced by our surroundings and the people we come in contact with daily. Having been home more than usual these past 2 years due to the pandemic in a way is a blessing as I have grown to understand my children better and appreciate their unique character strengths and personalities more.
I’ve been going through a low patch recently due to happenings on the family front and also, struggles with the business. I know these are all part and parcel of my growth journey but at times, the going seems heavier especially when I find myself over-extended and not having enough rest.
My youngest daughter, whom I believe is a natural born coach (!), came up with the acronym “L.O.A.F” all by herself yesterday. She shared it with me to cheer me up. I thought it was simple and yet a powerful reminder to me especially when I am so busy, focusing on what is lacking and not recognising all that I have accomplished to date.
L - Live Positively
I guess I have been looking at my glass as half empty lately. There will be changes in my household given the current medical condition of my father-in-law so we will all have to adapt and adjust. I can also see how this is impacting my husband as he is taking on a lot more responsibilities and is also stressed. The reminder to live positively is not to disregard the challenges that lie ahead but to remember that we are still blessed with the good things in our lives. How often do we belittle what we already have when hard times hit us? This phrase also reminded me to reflect on how resilient we all are especially when we review our lives and see that we have overcome so many obstacles to be where we are today. This rough patch is not the determinant of our entire future. It is a period where we can choose to rise above it and create a positive impact on those around us.
2. Obey God
I love this reminder. I went into coaching more than 3 years ago because I believed that this is what God is calling me into, to serve Him in this phase of my life. When facing challenges in growing my coaching business, I have become disheartened and weary. Recognising that I am obeying God by taking on this path is cementing my purpose for me. It doesn’t mean that the road will get easier from here on but it gives me the energy and the strength to move forward. What is your higher purpose that you perhaps have lost sight of? How can you begin take small steps to reconnect yourself to it?
3. Always Ask
This is something I always encourage my clients to do. If you are feeling stuck in a particular situation, consider who you can reach out to ask for help. What’s the worst that can happen if you ask? At the very most, the answer is no and you are back to status quo. Imagine the possibilities if you get a “maybe” or a “yes”! Your status quo changes and opportunities present themselves to you. My daughter’s wise words reminded me that I should start thinking about reaching out to the people in my life who can help me, to make my journey less lonely. I don’t have to struggle alone. Are you in a similar situation? Have a think about seeking support from those around you. If you are curious about coaching and how I can support you as a coach, you can contact me here to book a complimentary 30-minutes discovery call.
4. Find Joy
This ties in with the first point of living positively. I am a big proponent for practising gratitude and ending each day recounting your successes, both big and small. There are successes every day. There are always events and things to be grateful for no matter how difficult our days are. My daughter’s genuine gesture of love and concern for me fills my heart with joy. I believe my joy diminished lately not because I was not practising gratitude. Rather, I was just going through the motions of writing in my gratitude journal as something to be crossed off my to-do list. I didn’t take time to connect with the feeling of gratitude as I wrote, to really appreciate and internalise the emotions of being grateful and blessed. Have you taken the time to slow down and reflect on the goodness in your life, to be energised by them and to refocus on what you want out of your life?
P.S. My daughter mentioned that she has come up with more acronyms of encouragement but has yet to share them with me! :) So, watch this space.
“You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”
- Winnie the Pooh
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