My breakup and makeup

I don’t know if you have seen Serena Williams’ new Nike Ad. I quite like it. Check it out if you have't yet seen it. They do a great job of highlighting the mental battle that often precedes greatness. 

Regardless of what you are building: whether a business, a part of your calling, a marriage or a career; the fiercest battles do not take place in the boardroom or the bank. They often take place in the mind.

Serena and the Nike team pretty much list the many ways women are told that their dreams and actions are “crazy.’ In some instances these women were breaking the status quo. In other ways they were behaving in ways very identical to men. Yet their behaviours are called out.

The punchline of the advert is “It’s only crazy until you do it. Just do it.” The punchline punched me out! In the best way possible.

The voices in your head (read your inner critic) represent one enemy. But then there are also the voices of those around you, even the ones who love you; telling you that that dream may be unrealistic or that “no one ever does that!”

Here is my confession: the voices in my head are loudest. I live with them. I fight them and sometimes I shrink [down] because of them. How do you fight the enemy within and have the energy to fight the ones without? Well, a couple of really good things happened for me in February. And do you want to know what my first response was? Though thankful, I felt myself drawing for the old, familiar pattern of highlighting why these good things maybe shouldn’t have come to me. I called my friends to ask them to confirm that I was right. They pretty much embarrassed me. And I couldn’t love them more.

So many strong women have been waxing poetic about people who told them they were crazy and how they proved them dead wrong. I would also like to “throw my words” at the unnamed enemies who told me that I am/was crazy to want to do be great. But alas, I came to realize that enemy has been ME.

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I’m on the brink of what I am dubbing “Magic-Making March” and so I am cleaning house and telling off…well myself. It’s a form of self-sabotage that has been in my space for way too long and I’m breaking up with it once and for all. There is no way I can take this secret enemy with me into the next chapter of my life. No way! I’m standing on the brink of absolute excellence and I won’t undersell nor undercut my value anymore. I’ll allow you guys to listen in on the convo I had with myself:

Me: You told me I wasn’t built to be an entrepreneur. You told me entrepreneurship wasn’t for people like me. And I did it!
Also me: I didn’t realize it, but you are right.

Me: You told me I wouldn’t close out a business and be able to hold my head high. Well I did that and I’m doing that.

Also me: Yes, you are doing that. As one of your friends said “Look at you still flourishing!”

Me: You whispered your doubts to me about the value of my skills and dreams. You mocked me by asking “Who will buy that?” Who is gonna GET it?” I’m proving you wrong every, single day.

Me: So how about I ask you to be quiet with these self-sabotaging thoughts? I will do the talking from here on out. I am saying to you: “Hey, I think I’m great. I am choosing to not apologize for that anymore.” I am capable of achieving and deserving of my craziest dream yet. We can make beautiful magic if we work together!”

Also me: I’m sorry Kam. You deserve the absolute best. You have made a believer out of me. I am proud of you. 2019 will be our most epic year yet!

Me and also me: *High five* We need new clothes. The world isn’t ready… we don’t care!

I hope you have this convo with any and all voices telling you to be smaller or to stop after one or two or three perceived failures. The World needs what you have.

Love, 
Lotus

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