Treasures of the Heart
The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be and end up being.
Matthew 6:21, The Message
I like the lesson from this Bible verse as it reminds me that whatever I focus my attention and desires on, that’s where I’ll eventually end up. For believers of the Christian faith, this verse teaches us to focus on our heavenly treasures and not on worldly treasures. It serves as a reminder for us not to fall away from our faith and to keep our eyes focused on God. Your heart’s desire is like a homing device. Whether consciously or subconsciously, we will gravitate towards what we have placed in our hearts. This applies to everyone, irrespective of beliefs.
I had an interesting conversation with my friend and peer coach, Annick about how our interest on a particular topic is magnified when we have a relationship or connection with that topic. We met virtually through a coaching program we were both enrolled in back in July 2020. She lives in New York and I live in Singapore. We have been meeting virtually on a weekly basis together with several other peer coaches for support and encouragement in our respective coaching journeys. She said that ever since she met me and Preeti, an executive coach who also lives in Singapore, she has developed a keen eye to look out for news relating to events in Singapore. Her husband and friends are pleasantly surprised by how knowledgeable she is of happenings in a country thousands of miles away from where she lives.
(By the way, check out Annick’s Facebook private group, Access Your Power Daily where she shares her wisdom and insights to help you create the change you desire in your lives! I’m an avid follower of hers!)
As we are already halfway into January 2021, what is catching your attention? What are you having a strong connection to? What is your heart telling you? Are you hopeful that your plans will fall into place? Do you focus on achieving your goals or is your mind clouded by the obstacles that lie ahead? How do you move forward with clarity and purpose even when there are naysayers in your life?
Photo by Scandinavian Backlash on Unsplash
Know your mission
What comes to mind when you think of a mission? You may relate to war movies where the troop is tasked with a mission to invade enemy territory and weaken their stronghold. The soldiers were able to stay focused and move ahead through danger and uncertainty because they were certain of their mission objectives. They focused on the end result - to win the war.
It can also mean a calling. It’s what you believe you are meant to do in your life. If you are a teacher or an educator, you may believe that your calling is to empower your students to reach their highest potential. If you are a parent, you may consider your calling is to instil the right values in your children and nurture them with love. You are passionate about your calling. You feel energised and inspired when you live out your calling. Do you know what your calling is?
Know your strategy
If you know your mission but you are not living it out now, do you have a strategy that will help you get there? What is your heart telling you to do? You may regard yourself as a level headed, rational person and “heart matters” are for those who are easily swayed by their emotions. That’s not true. Each of us have a calling. When we are not living out our calling, we feel restless. We feel that something is missing in our lives. We may suppress it, telling ourselves it’s silly to live out our dreams. It’s too late. We have responsibilities and obligations. But hold on…let’s play with this thought. What if it is not too late to pursue your dreams? What if who you are meant to be is just around the corner and all you needed to do is take that first step of faith?
As with any military mission, there is a plan, a tactical strategy to leverage on the troop’s strengths and advantages of the circumstances. When it comes to living out your calling, how well do you know yourself? What are your strengths? What can you do to harness your strengths and leverage on them to achieve your goals? Can you identify the voices in your mind that are holding you back? We all have them - the judge in us who tells us that we are not good enough, that it’s ridiculous to pursue your dreams, that you will end up losing too much - don’t rock the boat. These voices are so loud at times that you believe that they are telling the truth. The reality is that the true voice, your true self, comes from a place of empathy and wise and calm discernment without harsh judgment. It ignites your spirit of curiosity, innovation and propels you into purposeful action.
I recommend these two free assessments to help you get started to discover your core values and signature strengths as well as identify your saboteurs, those voices in your head which you think are helping you and keeping you safe but in reality, they are making life so much more difficult and challenging for you.
The VIA (Values in Action) Character Strengths Survey at https://www.viacharacter.org/survey/account/register
The Positive Intelligence Saboteurs Assessment at https://www.positiveintelligence.com/assessments/
Once you know who you truly are with your unique values and strengths as well as knowing your saboteurs, you will be able to plan and strategize a clear course towards your calling.
Know your troop
Now that you have a clear mission and know your strategy to complete the mission, do you know your troop? Who can support you and cheer you on when you face challenges and adversity? Who has gone ahead of you and will be able to advise and mentor you? Do you have an accountability partner? Do you have people in your life who share your passion and calling? Look out for people who can bring out the best in you and keep them close. You will be inspired and encouraged to stay on track.
Consider having a coach as a member of your troop. A coach will support you through your self-discovery journey with empathy and objectivity, always fostering a non-judgmental environment for learning, growth and forward action. Read my Testimonials page to find out how my coaching have benefited many!
Hop on over to my Appointments page to schedule a complimentary 30-minutes discovery call to learn how we can work together. Let’s get started on your mission!
P.S. My complimentary 30-minutes coaching session which is my Christmas gift to each of you is still available until 30 January 2021.
“Only one thing has to change for us to know happiness in our lives: where we focus our attention.”
