Sophia Petrides: International Life Coach for Executives and acclaimed author – unlock your potential – Published on LinkedIn 19 June 2020
Most of us spend our lives thinking about the future, planning, worrying and facing the unexpected. But have you ever considered that not knowing what is coming next is actually a good thing?
Right now, when you turn on the TV news it feels like the new normal is a permanent state of crisis. We have new problems like climate change and old injustices and inequalities to deal with. We rightly question the mistakes of generations past and try to stop ourselves from repeating those same mistakes in the future. Humans are excellent at making predictions, but nobody knows the future. And not knowing can be a source of worry.
But what if we don’t need to know the future? What if we just focus harder on what is happening in front of us right now? The present is within your control more than tomorrow, next week, next month, next year and so on. If we take a deep dive into our creative minds to find new opportunities in the present, we will create new opportunities in the future.
The goal: Lead a purposeful life! Ask yourself what kind of world you want to live in. What changes do you want to see, right now, to your everyday life? Following lockdown and going back to normality, you can choose to go with your old flow or choose to set sail on a new course towards your “big picture” – or in other words, your life purpose.
How? You need to identify your purpose – a life goal, a career goal, a personal development goal – and then outline practical steps to achieving it. Practical plans help us stay motivated and feel empowered to make progress. Want to start a new business? What time can you allocate to planning it? Want a promotion? What additional skills do you need? Want to learn Chinese? Where do you sign-up for a course? You don’t need to know how to end the journey, you simply need to start it. No compromises. Don’t settle for second best. How can you take a step, right now, towards the result you want more than anything else?
Try this: Stop for a moment, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. What do you see when you think about your ideal life? What is the “big picture”? Try to imagine it. Yourself, where you want to be, doing what you want to do. What are you doing with your days? How are you impacting others? Try and give that picture as much detail and colour as possible and make it look real in your mind.
The coaching lesson? Find a place that speaks to your mind, your inner self, your soul, your psyche. A place where you can be quiet and just “be”. Connect with nature, as this is an important part of the process and it’s all around you. The beauty of our universe is a source of inspiration for everyone. Dawn. Sunset. Bright sunny days. Thunderstorms. The wind in the trees. Even if you don’t realise it, the natural world and its rhythms play a big part in feeding our emotions and aspirations. Take a moment to clear your mind from the stress and rush of life at home, in the office, or the street, and take control of your thought process to create goals that speak to your life purpose.
Make it a habit to spend time in that space on a daily basis and assess your goals and opportunities that may have presented themselves. Make a commitment to yourself to take a break from your normal routine and make some thinking space, somewhere away from the chaos of life, to enjoy the now and use that sense of being in the present to shape the future.
A future where humanity is aligned for the greater good!
I invite you to connect with me www.petrides.consulting, as I am passionate about supporting others realise their life purpose, unlock their potential and take the right risks that would alter their lives.
I cover this subject in more detail in my workbook called Bedside Coaching™, 7 Lessons of Empowerment, currently selling on Amazon.
The Time is Now – what do you choose to be, a Follower or a Leader of You!