Are you feeling anxious about heading home for the holidays?
You’re certainly not alone. Spending time with family can send even the most grounded grown-up right back into old patterns of behavior. It's taken me many years to get to the point where I don't immediately become my thirteen-year-old self as soon as I'm in the same room with my mother and father. And it still happens sometimes! Old habits die hard.
So how can you have a beautiful experience this year instead of a painful one?
In my case, I had to shift my intentions around family interactions. For many years, I would run to my parents every time I had a business idea or a vision for something I wanted to accomplish, seeking approval and words of encouragement. Like a lot of parents, out of LOVE and a desire to keep me safe, they were quicker to offer words of caution than they were to encourage risk-taking. So, what I started to do was share only my wins. Instead of asking for advice on a project, I'd wait until that project was finished and tell them about the outcome.
“Hey look, Mom, I’m in the Miami Herald!”“Hey, guess what, Dad? I’m working with American Express.” By sharing my wins, I created a space for them to celebrate my successes and feel secure in the knowledge that I was doing OK. They didn’t have to worry about me anymore.
Within 6 months of making this shift, I found out that my mother had my business cards in her purse to share with other people. She became my biggest supporter!
The question to ask yourself is how are YOU showing up in your relationships? I was showing up in need of approval, instead of standing in my vision and power.
With families, it's so important to be intentional about what you need. Do you want them to feed your ego and validate you like they did when you were a little kid? Or are you ready to step into your sovereign adult self and create a new, more grounded relationship dynamic?
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If you’re interested in exploring how to bring more grace, ease, and joy into your business, I invite you to set up a discovery call to learn more about our programs and see if they’re a fit for you!
Big hug,
