Your Magenta Monday Magic.
Ahh, happy February! 🎉
With our annual intention-setting activities behind you, and (hopefully) some new habits and routines in place to support your mindful intentions for the year, it’s time to turn your attention to everything the year ahead has in store.
With that in mind, I set out to organize some of my personal papers recently and came across one of my elementary school report cards. It really struck me to see how I was described at that early age, and it got me thinking about how those early messages really start to shape the person we develop into. I think looking at those messages can provide some unique insight into who we are at our very core. 💭
You see, as young children, we are the purest forms of ourselves. We care little for what others think – we laugh, cry, and love with abandon, and we exist completely in the moment – with no anxiety about the future, and no regret about the past. We are all in.
Then, as we get older, we start to take cues from our environment that shape our sense of self. We hear messages like, ‘you’re good at sports, you’re bad at math, you’re too fat or too skinny, too shy, or too energetic…’
Here are some of the descriptors from my report card that I started incorporating into my own self-image from a young age: “people pleaser, good reader/writer, performer, good imagination, likes shortcuts, not good in math or telling time, great gymnast, inventive/creative, good listener, not competitive, good at art, good leader.” I can see how those early messages influenced the woman I eventually grew into. 🤔
You see, we internalize those messages – and start to think of ourselves as ugly or pretty or good or bad or nice or mean – and as time goes on, we formulate stories about what we can or can’t do based on this feedback. On top of those stories, we layer all the roles we take on: student, girlfriend, fiancée, wife, mother, vice president, daughter-in-law, etc.
All those cues, messages, stories, and roles form a shell around us that totally obscures the truth of who we are beneath it all, and we get so far away from our core self that many of us find we have little idea of who we actually are! 🤦♀️
Then we hit the whirlwind of midlife with all its transitions. Maybe our kids go off to college, or we get divorced. We begin to lose people we love or step into the role of caregiver for our aging parents. We may go back to work after raising our kids or perhaps retire altogether and move to a new location. Whatever the details of midlife change look like for us, the changes begin to dismantle the parts of us that have formed our identities for so long.
It's no wonder that we become riddled with fear, self-doubt, overwhelm, and low self-esteem when we start to think about what’s next. As everything we know about ourselves – our stories, our roles, our inner messages – begin to shift and falter, it’s no wonder we feel totally stuck and afraid to move ahead. 😟
Whoo! That’s a lot. If any of that lands for you, know that you are NOT alone. And want you to know that things aren’t as depressing as they may seem. The truth is, there is much to be hopeful about as you look ahead – because all the answers you’re looking for (about who you really are and what you want next) are right inside you. You just need to take the time to get curious and listen to them. 🧐
Yes, this will take some work. But it’s work that will reward you in ways that you cannot even imagine are possible.
What comes next will take a little Bravery as well.
Monday Mindshift
It’s the 1° shift that makes the biggest difference over time.
So where do you begin? You’ve already started by reading this email because that’s what we’ll be exploring all month long – the Live BRIGHTer pillar of Being Brave.
Bravery is a crucial part of your personal growth work – especially now – because this part of your journey back to self will be tough. It’s where you’ll face all the stories, limiting beliefs, and old ways of being that I mentioned above. Your fears will loom large: fear of failure, fear of success, and the fear of the unknown. You will take risks. You will screw up. And, you will also find more joy than you’ve ever known. 🤩
It'll be a bumpy ride, and some days you’ll find yourself wanting to say right where you are – so you can stay safe. But as you know if you’ve been here a while, in personal growth work, SAFE=STUCK. ⛔
This is where Bravery comes in – it will take you through all the bumpy spots and help you make your way to the rewards on the other side.
So buckle up. We’ve got some work to do! 💪
Living BRIGHTer is...
B - Be Brave
R - Cultivate Relationships
I - Live with Intention
G - Practice Gratitude
H - Prioritize Health
T - Live your Truth
What is Magenta?
The color magenta is one of universal harmony and emotional balance. It is spiritual yet practical, encouraging common sense and a balanced outlook on life. Magenta helps to create harmony and balance in every aspect of life; physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
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