Have you ever set a goal or made a change while feeling directionless? Not thinking through the decision but going on autopilot, saying a fast “yes” or following another’s plan? Not having the time (or tools) to ask, is this aligned with my values? Or is it something I think I should do?
A year ago today I launched In The Flow. At the time I had a lot of uncertainty about what was next in my life. I knew what I didn’t want and what I was passionate about. I had a why I wanted to share with the world. I woke up early and wrote this statement:
Over 18 years in the corporate world, I learned a lot. Some things, especially as a woman, were hard to deal with. When I thought about my next chapter, the central theme was to personally connect with and empower women. Sharing tools and practices to take control and make decisions you want. Climb the corporate ladder, awesome! Start your own business, amazing! Work while raising a family, great! Take time off to focus on side hobbies, fantastic! There are so many choices we have - yet we often feel isolated, unsupported or unsure how to make them. And don’t even get me started on fear and judgement. These emotions can stop us right in our tracks.
A few years ago I felt stagnant, complacent and alone. I needed something to shake me. Experiencing 2020 with Covid and losing my job did just that. I now help other women get unstuck. To move from point A to B - knowing whatever point B is, when you decide for yourself it’s brilliant. How we do that with technical words is through my coaching, yoga and mindfulness training. How we do that with real words is tapping into your inner knowledge, trusting your gut, asking and answering questions to see different perspectives and feeling supported. Knowing you have someone (me!) that truly cares about your path plus keeps you accountable to your goals. This is my why.
Want to create your own personal why statement? First, don’t be afraid to go deep. There are many layers to why getting to the root of what you really want. What makes you get out of bed in the morning? What inspires you? What do you feel in your soul you were meant to do? What makes you truly happy? Think about your core values, the fundamental beliefs acting as your internal compass. Keep asking why until no new information comes up.
A why statement explains your purpose to other people, and yourself. Try using this model to write your own unique why statement.
TO DO ____ SO THAT ____
The first line is your contribution to other lives through what you do. The second line is the impact of your contribution. There are no rules, it is your why statement after all! It is helpful to be clear, actionable and written in a way that resonates with you. Create it to inspire yourself and stay motivated. Something when read you are reminded of why you are doing XYZ.
Creating a personal why statement helps the practice of living intentionally on purpose. I’ve referred back to mine when making a decision or felt lost. Ready to get started? For me, movement always gets the creativity flowing. Try listening to this song as loud as you can, dancing around like I am today. Celebrating my why and the one year anniversary of In The Flow.