Every so often you hear, see or maybe read something that inspires you into action taking mode. Let’s call it activation. My ‘moniker’ (or what I’m also known as) is The Happy Midlife Activator, and from time to time I think it’s helpful to explore that what actually means.
As an Activator, I find myself being a person who somehow initiates people – usually midlife women – into taking inspired action. Sometimes this means they finally take steps towards something they’ve dreamed about or pondered for the longest time. Other times, it means they feel like they are now aware of something inside of them that they weren’t recognising, or perhaps they were denying before.
Last night I attended an amazing masterclass about the customer journey with Amanda from Koogar marketing and we spoke about how sometimes, the women I work with find the work so intimate and personal that they don’t feel able to share out there in the world what a journey they have gone on, with me by their side. I fully understand and respect this, not everyone wants to wear their heart on their sleeve. But what it can mean for my business is I don’t appear to have many ‘raving fans’ to share how much I’ve been able to help them – to be able to spread the word with others in a way that the impact can be felt in a more far-reaching way.
There are two things about this that make me feel sad.
- They don’t feel able to ‘spread the word’, which means far less women are in touch with the possibility of change. The chance to make new decisions and choices from an authentic viewpoint, and thus missing out on what I feel is their true self, living instead through the lens of familiarity. Their world is much smaller than it needs to be. (I’m absolutely not judging here)
- Of course it means as a business I’m needing to keep finding those women for myself, instead of a collaborative effort (all things move faster when you have the right people on your team!).
I would love to be able to say I have helped thousands of women – this is part of my mission.
But I can’t do it alone., so I thought today I’d talk a bit about what it means to be ‘activated’ by someone, to have your spark of possibility ignited in a way that inspires positive change both inside and out.
When we do the kind of inner work that happens in my intimate 1:1 coaching and the small groups I run, it feels sometimes like small fires are lit that really do shine a light on what’s possible, once you connect with the truth of who you actually are.
It’s like a wake up call, in the nicest possible way.
Because it’s done in a safe space, this means you can be supported while you make necessary changes, explore what it means and really start to feel as though all things are possible.
As an example, some 18 months ago I was on a night out in town with a few friends, family and colleagues, celebrating what we lovingly called our ‘Sten’ do (Stag/Hen). The context doesn’t matter but it was the conversation that happened and I still remember it, even after a good few drinks and bit of dancing. (oh and being wrapped in cling film… anyway I digress).
One of the ladies out with us came up to me to say thank you – for inspiring her to take some action, to do something about the things that were keeping her stuck, feeling unsatisfied and not energised by her life.
I was completely shocked as although I knew she had been in my world for a while, I had no idea how much attention she had been paying from the sidelines. She clearly remembered my words ‘It’s time to do the bloody work’, the realisation that nothing was just going to come to her if she didn’t put in some effort and pay attention to things, take stock if you like.
Jacqueline’s no-nonsense approach was straight to the point and the kick up the bum I needed.
Vanessa Goddard.
She had clearly been ‘activated’ by my words, by the idea that other things were in fact possible (and we hadn’t even had a close quarters conversation about it!) and seized her chance to do something different as a result. I have since seen her living what you might call ‘her best life’, enjoying every moment, getting out into the world and loving everything she puts her mind to. All this from reading a few of my social media posts or emails (and maybe watching one or two of the videos as well)!
This is the change I dream of making in the world.
It’s bigger than ‘helping you be yourself’, the result of this work is powerful, it goes deep – and it can change your life! And who knows what you might go on to do in the world as a result.
I’d love to know if you also feel activated by this post – let me know in the comments.