What a Breakthrough! 🤯

I had a significant breakthrough recently.

I was working through one of the tools I take my clients through. I wanted to figure out what was blocking me from taking action on a specific initiative – a big one. My mind was clear this was what I wanted to do but something would stop me each time I went to act on it.

Given my training, I know that it’s the subconscious mind that creates behavior change. The conscious mind is the tip of the iceberg or what we can see above the water line, and it’s roughly 5%. Our subconscious mind is what’s underneath the surface of our conscious awareness, and it’s a whopping 95%.

While mindset work can be incredibly helpful, I knew for myself that I needed a deeper dive to address what was going on below the surface.

I should backtrack to say that I’ve always had a larger vision than I know I can accomplish in my lifetime. Sometimes I am in the full embrace of that vision and taking action towards it is effortless. Other times, when fear is present, I’m just tip-toeing around it, trying to keep it from noticing me. Finding myself in the new year with renewed energy, however, I’m in my full embrace era and motivated to dismantle whatever is in my way.

I jumped into the work, leaned into my intuition, and realized something that had not surfaced before.

A specific memory came back to me. I was in my very first formal leadership role early in my career. I had just resigned from my Director position because I was no longer growing and losing the enthusiasm I once held for it. I was in talks with the organization’s leadership about some parting recommendations I had. That sparked a new opportunity for me to lead some organization development initiatives over a 6-month period. I was excited. I could see how they would benefit the team, and I was eager to jump in and take on the new challenge.

That news did not go over well with some of my colleagues, however. One in particular made a very public statement that was as shocking as it was humiliating. My 20-something-year-old self, who was ambitious and hungry to learn, and probably a bit bold in her youth, shut down completely.

Did I take on the role anyway – yes. Did I focus more on everyone getting along instead of doing what was in the organization’s best interest – also yes.

The phrase ‘stay in your lane’ still has a slight sting to it, and is one you will never hear me use as a result. But I clearly internalized that to mean much more. Subconsciously, I made it mean that when I ‘step out of my lane’ in the eyes of others, I’ll be called out and humiliated. That’s when a new pattern emerged for me – staying below the radar.

It became a survival tactic because there was a subconscious part of me doing its best to keep me from ever feeling humiliated like that again.

My leadership style changed. Even when I was being promoted in future roles, I was always watching for how others were responding to it, trying to anticipate and smooth any ruffled feathers and focus more on appeasing the discomfort of others than doing what was best for me.

Doing the work to bring this into my conscious awareness means it’s ready to be cleared from my system. It no longer has a hold on me and I can now make very different choices as I step into the larger vision I hold for my work. Not to mention, I no longer feel that weight I was dragging behind me each time I wanted to move into action on my vision.

That’s a powerful feeling. That is why I LOVE this work.

It’s transformative, and let’s get real, we need more leaders in the world who are willing to do their own work to expand their capacity to lead.

Interested in having a breakthrough?

I invite you to reach out and book a free Discovery Call if you’re feeling called to. Take this step to free yourself from whatever’s been holding you back.

✨ I hope you’ll take me up on this! There’s so much spaciousness waiting for you. ✨