Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Part 2, Lane Cobb, Life-Coach

Creating and maintaining an empowering context for living an inspired life.

“Mirror, mirror on the wall…. Picture this – You are giving a presentation at work and worried that something will go wrong, possibly the client won’t buy your service. Or, you are faced with a difficult decision and concerned that making the “wrong” choice will set you back in some way.  Or, you may be in a place in your life where you feel uninspired, bored, or in a rut.  Now, what would you say these three scenarios have in common?  The answer is, they all occur inside of a disempowering “context” – a  viewpoint for the way things are occurring that creates worry, frustration, or upset.

Scenarios like this are not uncommon, especially when we think that our thoughts, feelings, and actions are a result of our circumstances or other people’s conversations.  But, here is the truth – We Get to Choose!  As a very wise person once said, “Context is Decisive”.  What we think about ourselves and what we focus our attention on creates the  backdrop for our choices, actions, and experiences.  The  following are some very easy and specific steps  toward creating a context that will empower you to live a life that inspires and celebrates who you really are!

• What’s important to you?   Very often people, especially women, get caught up in the cycle of “have to” or “need to” until eventually we have forgotten all about the true desires of our heart.  Ask yourself what is important to you, and live your life according to your values and not someone else’s.

•  Acknowledge yourself!  Often times society may dictate that we should shy away from self acknowledgement.  Which of  your accomplishments in your life make you proud?  What do you and others like about you?  Do your attributes  make a difference? In reality, self-acknowledgement is just telling yourself the truth about who you really are.  Even if you acknowledge yourself once or twice a day, you will be well on your way to inventing an empowering context for your life!

•  Write a new commercial!  We women are notorious for thinking negatively about ourselves, which is an injustice to all the good and powerful things we do for the world.   If what we say to ourselves makes a difference, then shouldn’t we say good stuff?  If you were selling a product, wouldn’t you make it sound so fabulous that everyone would buy it?  Well, write THAT commercial, but this time, the product is glorious, wonderful, marvelous, smart, adorable, confident, creative YOU!  And that’s just a start!

•  Choose wisely!  Of the steps mentioned, this one may be the most difficult, especially for many of us who find ourselves in unfulfilling  jobs or relationships.  Even if we don’t want to admit it, our lives are a result of the choices we’ve made.  Once we’ve come to this realization, then we can become more strategic with choices that give us joy, freedom, and sense of accomplishment.  In time, you will find that you are living a life that inspires you all the time, is aligned with your values, and demonstrates who you are and what you are capable of.  In other words, you will be living inside of an empowering context!

Lane L. Cobb is a life coach and owner of “Straight Talk Empowerment Coaching for Women” – ww.straighttalkcoaching.com.  Committed that women be fully self-expressed, fully actualized, and fully empowered in all areas of their lives, Lane is available for coaching, workshops, and motivational speaking.  Contact her at lane@straighttalkcoaching.com.