The Power of Humility by Sheila Harris

 

What does it take to be humble?

I remember being in shock along with the rest of the world after hearing about actor Chadwick Boseman’s death. The news was heartbreaking, to say the least—not only because we lost someone who possessed extraordinary talent, but also because of the revelation that he bravely fought colon cancer for years. And, all while still being able to gift us with his iconic portrayal of characters such as James Brown, Jackie Robinson, Thurgood Marshall, and King T’Challa, just to name a few.

Looking back at clips of Boseman on the red carpet or during press junket interviews, what stood out for me the most was the spirit of humility that he always exuded. I assumed that this stemmed solely from his Southern upbringing, mixed with a desire for privacy. Now, we all realize the incredible amount of strength to be able to carry the weight of a devastating illness and still demonstrate brilliance in his work.

I think for those of us who are navigating our own careers—whether after one year or twenty—it is easy to struggle with humility. For some, it may not be a concept that is even considered. At times, we may move up the corporate ladder, win awards, and garner accolades without a thought of where we came from or who helped us along the way. For others, we are well aware of the blessings that God has given us (and the weight that we may have to carry with it.) However, an internal struggle can take place in our minds when we believe that others aren’t acknowledging who we are in the way that we would like.

I believe the greatest lesson that Boseman left us is to be mindful of the end of our story. While he and his close-knit circle of family and friends could have spoken out and requested special treatment for him (and of course it would have been more than warranted), he instead allowed his work and dedication to speak volumes for him. It is now that we see the full measure of his spirit.

It has been said that humility can be defined as “strength under control.” I want to say that the way of humility is never easy. It may require you to rise above the loud opinions of others who are quick to judge you without knowing the full story. Like Boseman, you may even have to push through a debilitating disease in silence in order for the project or vision to be achieved. In spite of it all, he kept his eye on the endgame.

What will be said about you when you arrive at the end of your story? Let’s aim to carry ourselves in a way so that we can be remembered not only for the work that we have accomplished but also for the humility that we show when we put the cause of the greater good ahead of our own.

Sheila Harris is a speaker/coach/publicist. She is also the author of Calling Revealed: 7 Spiritual Lessons to Uncover Your Purpose. Follow her on Instagram @SistaSheilaSays.

Transforming Yourself to Prepare for the Post Pandemic World by Dr. Catrina

We are living in a time where events have occurred that have not been seen in nearly 100 years. A force of nature has pushed us as a planet into our homes and shelters to review, reflect, study, and change. Almost all aspects of our society are altered in some form or fashion because of the Coronavirus pandemic. Hopefully, you have used this time to reflect on what you have accomplished in life so far and to start casting your vision of what your life will be in this new post-pandemic world. You might ask, “Why do we need to do that?” So many aspects of life are changing from what we know, that it will be imperative to adapt to survive. Travelling, shopping, working will all be different going forward. The good thing about this is with crisis comes opportunity. We need to start positioning ourselves to take advantage of the new opportunities that will come out of this new normal.

Accepting the Loss
Accepting the Loss means that we do not excuse the horrible things that have happened, but to learn to accept that they did happen. Those events have a purpose in shaping who we are today. If we do not do this work, those experiences can become chains anchoring us down and limiters on our lives. We have to learn to use those events as fuel or a driving force in our lives. Embrace your past and love yourself, all of yourself, including the parts of you that went through the storm. Some things are gone, some for a short while, others for good. We should spend our energy focused on where we go from here, instead of trying to get back things that are gone. Once we come to terms with the fact that change has happened, we are then open to looking at where we are now.

Assessing the Present
Assessing the Present requires taking an honest, real inventory of yourself and where you stand in all aspects of your life. It’s hard to plot a course if you don’t know where you’re starting from! You need to know your capabilities to form a plan on how to use them in the new normal. Assess all areas of your life: physical (where you live, your health), mental (your goals, your dreams, your skills), emotional (your relationships with yourself, your family, your associates, and your friends), and spiritual (what directs your moral compass, your faith and beliefs. Focus on two things: where are you now and where do you want to be? Taking an accurate inventory of your strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities will position you to make the right moves in this new post-pandemic world.

Ascertaining Your Future
Ascertaining your future today requires an analysis of how your assessment of yourself aligns with the opportunities developing from this crisis event. The analysis should show you the gaps you need to close between where you are and where the new opportunities will be. Make a plan comprised of a number of short term/short-range goals. Those goals are focused on closing the gaps you identified.

Our new normal is changing the way we function in the world. What opportunities will you take advantage of? Will you become an entrepreneur and start a new business? Or maybe you will facilitate the physical or digital delivery of goods and services? It’s a brave new world out there. Don’t get left behind! Accept, Assess, and Ascertain!

Learn about Dr. Catrina at www.pullcorp.com 

Twitter: @PullCorpMedia

Achieving Dreams by Yvette Gavin

Have you ever wondered why some people achieve their dreams and others don’t?  Since leaving my corporate job in 2016 and launching my corporate training, coaching, and speaking practice, I’ve been repeatedly asked this question— how did you do it?  The question is often followed up with a self-confession that sounds similar to this, “I want to pursue my dreams, but ______________.”  The blank can be filled in with a 1001 excuses but at the end of the day, they all are excuses.  What I know for sure is that there is no secret sauce in realizing a long-term dream.  Dreams require intentionality.  Here’s how I got started:

Commitment to Grow – Too often people underestimate the unimportance of nearly everything in their lives. I decided to stop and reflect on why I wasn’t where I wanted to be in life. In doing so, I realized how I had allowed negative and unfair situations and people to cripple my view of myself.   Taking full responsibility for this unproductive state of mind, I made a decision to intentionally grow.  I decided to no longer look at disappointing situations as setbacks but as education. I looked for the life lessons in my everyday life and begin to build from the learnings. 

Create the Plan – I am not a neuroscientist, but I know there is something powerful that happens when we put intentions on paper.  There’s a lot of buzz around whether to set goals or not and the overall effectiveness of goalsetting.  For me, writing goals on paper, defining measurements, and setting timelines for those goals have worked extremely well.   But, I don’t just write lofty, pie-in-the-sky goals.  I aligned short term and long term goals to my overall vision.  For example, before setting goals to become a life coach, I researched the field first and learned what was needed to move into the coaching field (education, certifications, cost, etc.) and then mapped out a two-year plan.  

Continuous Movement – The perfection gap or the fear of making a mistake had been the number one thing to cause me to stop pursuing my dream. For sure friends, family, and foes were quick to point out my mistakes, or so it appeared to me. I know for sure, that I will make mistakes and everything I do will not be perfect all the time.  Where I will always strive for excellence and put my best effort forward, I no longer look at mistakes as failures.  They are life lessons and I see them as a sign that I am moving in the right direction.  Author and professor Warren Bennis said, “A mistake is simply another way of doing things.”  If you wait for perfection before moving forward, you may never move.  The key here is to keep moving forward by growing and getting better even in the face of imperfection.  

What about you, are you moving towards your dream?  For support on how to move forward with realizing your dreams, contact me at www.yvettegavin.com. 

Twitter: @YvetteGavin