Presence and Authenticity

For me, December, as the final month of the year, is always a great time to party and rejoice.  In balance, it also feels like an important time to reflect.  Where have I been, where am I now, and where am I going.

My reflection time in the past was heavily mired in how to do more, achieve more, and be more – all within the societal paradigm of what I thought success meant – money, virtue and prestige.  I use to fancy myself a master strategist, always thinking ten moves ahead, scenario planning – weighing probable outcomes and only then making each carefully considered chess move.

The decisions I made at times were clever guides to money, prestige and virtue, and fitting with the image and the story I was living, but they usually lacked meaning, and rarely provided any fulfillment outside of short a term ego hit.  I can now see, in most cases, they were totally disconnected from personally evolving toward my Highest.

So I shifted to a new framework for making more empowered decisions and overcoming obstacles that I share in my upcoming post The Four Inner Habits of Successful Leaders.  I also gave myself two gifts.  One was permission to let go of the need to look good – to let go of my persona and really be myself.  Very freeing.  The second was a daily practice of solitude.  Disciplined, habitual time alone to step outside my story, cultivate true clarity, and deeply consider my impact on myself, my family, my stakeholders and my community.  These have been, beyond doubt, two vital habits for cultivating greater presence, power and possibility.  I invite you to consider both.

I wish you and your families a happy, healthy year – filled with presence, power and possibility,

In service,