Hello Friends! Fall is here! I do love the shift in the air... The view, the mindset. The change of seasons is always a great time to reflect and take a look at the internal scenery. Maybe create some attainable goals in your life-affirming wellness journey. More purposeful movement, stillness or food choices. Perhaps something you’ve been doing has plateaued in your body; where the body/mind stops responding to an activity, thought process or nourishment that once worked very well. Time to shake things up. Perhaps fluctuating the number of calories, you ingest rather than just the same number every day. Trick the metabolism. Sprinkle in a little more meditation, yoga, and breathwork. Or perhaps you’re looking to build endurance and strength... I know a place that can help… Wink wink. So of course, all this leads me to yours truly... I am an endless work in progress, and have spent the last few weeks trying to adjust my dialogue... Especially the world "just." I noticed even when I’m teaching a class or running in an event. For example.... someone asks me the distance I’m running and the response is "just the 5k." You know what I mean... we’ve all done it. Does it diminish our self-worth? Really think about it... Does it?
I walk into a room announcing myself as "it’s just Dina." Or the other day... Sending an email... "I was just wondering when that project might be done." Why wouldn’t I say "Can you tell me when the project will be done?" Notice where in your world you do this, we ALL do it, in some capacity or another. However... while trying to stop minimizing myself I kind of turned into someone I am not. I am not a meek person, if anything, quite confrontational at times (working on that too). I do try to be genuinely kind. Even in a text or email. So when I say "just wondering," "just reaching out," "sort of thought you might want to," "sorry to bug you..." Am I just (ha … there it is again) trying to be polite with softness or am truly lessening myself? I guess I’m the only one who can find an honest answer there. All I know is am not remotely comfortable with the "boss babe," "iron fist" style I tried on for a week. It didn’t fit well, and I’m returning it! Often when the language is soft we can be perceived as a pushover, and in this competitive world of small business, community-mindedness is a double-edged sword. Then you stand up and say "Hey, Dina is here!’" you’re perceived as an obnoxious jerk. I prefer to be labeled joyfully obnoxious. I am still sorting out if this is a self-worth issue, conditioning from society or a soft heart that wants to leave a lovely ripple effect. Can you be kind and firm? Can you be soft and not a pushover? If we feel people have taken advantage of us, didn’t we allow it in the first place?
Life... Love the evolution of it, the curiosity that eases us into a place of learning without even realizing we needed it. Be YOU, for YOU! You are worth it! It’s your life... It’s waiting... LIVE IT NOW!
