Don't trip over what's behind you

Spring has sprung!

…at least over here in the northern hemisphere it has 😅

And I love to leverage natural transition times to really get into some stuff career-wise, by which I mean—it's a great time to think about what to leave behind—and what to cultivate in the coming weeks. But we can only truly move forward if we shed some things that may be holding us back.

Which brings me to the title of this edition of today’s post, the words I saw on the back of someone's sweatshirt yesterday:

I saw these words when I was out for a spring jaunt along the Hudson River (the Muhheakantuck or Shatemuc, as some of the original peoples of these lands named it).

You know, I usually steer clear of platitudes and such (I find them...a little...lacking in the concrete how and what of it all ), but this one, this one hit different.

Because we see it so often, and the results can really be so, so shitty:

• We end up playing small, and not going for that promotion, "stretch" role, or raise (and yes, I'm saying this even though I'm aware of the current economic landscape)

• We develop coping mechanisms and trauma responses that end up jeopardizing opportunities that we do get–or we decide to go for something, but realize that we don't actually know how to set ourselves up for success

• We see everything for the worst that it could be, the risk it might entail, the losses we might experience–and so we miss out on pathways right in front of us, the options for other realities, and the probability that things could turn out better than we ever imagined

And again, as I'm often fond of saying: This isn't about blaming or criticizing ourselves. We are immersed every day, every week in White supremacy culture and systems.

That is not our fault.

What this IS about is recognizing that fact (that it’s not our fault), and then taking responsibility for ourselves to create, find, build, and internalize our own healing and growth.

Does it suck? Sure. Is anyone else going to do that for us? No.

So as we transition seasons, please give yourself the gift of 30, 60, or 90 minutes to pour into yourself and ponder on these questions*:

• Are there things tripping me up from my past?

  • If so, what are they?

  • What do I need in order to prevent them from tripping me up in future?

  • Of the things I need, what is within MY control to do, create, invest in, join, build, change?

• As we transition seasons, what do I need to leave behind and shed?

  • Certain stories or narratives I tell myself about myself that aren't constructive, supportive, or kind to me?

  • Ways I may be self-sabotaging or self-rejecting that I hadn't admitted to myself before?

  • Ways I am actually ceding and giving up my own sovereign power and agency to others?

• What do I now want to cultivate?

  • A new point of view, a second (or third, fourth, fifth) chance for myself, a stronger sense of self-compassion?

  • A new form of investing in myself, something I want to share with the world more bravely, a way to "turn up the brightness" on myself (rather than dimming my light)?

  • A creative practice I've been dreaming of, a new (old?) form of self-healing, a different way of engaging in community?

*If you’d like these questions in a workbook-style resource, send us an email at happier@embracechange.nyc!

Please sit with these questions and give yourself grace around the resistance that may pop up, the "But I don't know"s, the discomforts. It's ok. Just keep asking yourself these questions. And you will find your way.

I'll be rooting for you—because the world needs you to shine bright!!!!!

And because we could all use some support from time to time…

If you'd like 1:1 career coaching support, a sounding board, an outside opinion from someone who understands what it's like to be a WOC or POC in this PWI world, click the button below and fill out the form at the bottom of this page to…

You don't have to do this alone.

We've got a few new POC coaches on our team 🎉 who are happy to support you when it comes to:

• landing that next role, promotion, or raise

• polishing up your resume, cover letter, or LinkedIn profile

• moving through career transitions

• and generally moving forward in your career with clarity and confidence!