Can you believe it’s August already? It feels like the summer is flying by, and I don’t know about you, but I am doing my best to soak up every last second of it before fall arrives and we all start that final push to the end of the year. For many of us, the slower pace of summer means not only time to unwind, but also time to reflect.
This month, I thought I’d share some of my summer reflections, starting with a very unusual (for me) social media post: a gym selfie.
I tend not to post personal stuff like this, as it can sound narcissistic and braggy, which is not my intent. But it felt like the right time to post about this, because I’m turning 59 this year and will be hitting the big Six-Oh next year.
Where have the years gone?
After a long gym absence during COVID, my muscles are back!!! As a scrawny kid, those were/are important to me. I don’t want people kicking sand in my face at the beach. (You may remember that Charles Atlas comic strip ad.)
As I’ve aged, I feel the four parts have come together in workshops and on stage—content, presence, awesome clients and people interested in my work. Isn’t that what we all want—to do meaningful work with great people?
I’ve learned it doesn’t happen overnight. Just like building muscles, it takes small, simple, manageable steps done consistently over time.
The biggest lesson I’m still practising: let your full real self come out and don’t be someone else. (Thanks to speaker coach Gail Larsen for encouraging my freedom.)
While some have a very deserved winding down in their fifties, I seem to be winding up. One of my favourite authors, Cheryl Richardson, calls these our wisdom years. I love that!
I swore 25 years ago, I would never go back to school. To develop my wisdom (or simply because I needed a new goal), I recently started a PhD in Sociology with the University of Leicester in the UK focusing on how AI will impact the People Leader role. I will share insights on that, as it unfolds.
It hasn’t all been roses and lollipops. Of course we don’t have control over encountering major health and mental issues. But I’ve learned aging well is a conscious decision.
An elder once told me years ago to say this at the start of each decade: “This will be the best decade of my life so far.”
As my 50s end, I wonder what the 60s will bring!
Stepping Into the Future and Owning Your Unique Brand of Magic
Embracing my true self and stepping into my own wasn’t something that happened overnight. A lot of experiences in my life and in my career led me to this point where I can confidently trust in my expertise and own my brand of magic, which I talked about in this interview with Bailey Parnell on the Let’s Think This Through podcast.
We also discussed the value of strategic thinking and decision-making, the perennial hot topic of AI, and other insights to help you step into the future and create change that matters. Click the video above to watch, or click here for more ways to listen to our conversation.
Thank you for reading! I hope that by sharing a bit of the personal here, it can help you to step into your true self and bring your unique brand of magic to everything you do!
Check out my website for more articles, podcasts, and resources to help you navigate the future and lead change that matters.