Living in the weeds, hanging with the worms, a low altitude view of ourselves tells only part of the story. What if we elevated the view, like a hawk in a tree or an eagle flying at 15,000 feet above sea level? What would you – your life look like? The whole of it?
If we step back for a moment and consider our wholeness, what might we see? You would see a whole life lived filled with successes and flops, learning and pivots. Maybe opportunities taken or abundance ignored.
What does your bird’s eye view look like? Still, having a problem seeing? Fly higher or climb a bigger tree.
Sit. Quietly. Still the mind of its thoughts. Be the eagle. See an enormous white wall below you. Note the notches on the wall, they are the formative moments in your life, big, small, memorable, and forgettable. The celebrations and heartaches and defining moments from your first memory to the present time.
Now. Go higher. What do you see?
You. Your life is whole, human, filled with events, decisions, choices, laughter, love, heartache, grief, opportunity, and suffering. And if we are aware enough, we can see the abundance available to us. We see the impermanence of existence. Days or seasons of pain turn into seasons of growth and renewal. Memories filled with joy are precious because of their impermanence. Did you find the moments where you had to ask for help? And the moments you wished you had asked?
This is you. Human. Whole. There is no one else like you on this planet with the combination of experience, learnings, accomplishments, pivots, and awareness. It’s all you. You are a magnificent creature built for pain and love, suffering and joy!
Now what?
What does your Life Wall tell you? How did you show up in moments of challenge? What experiences shaped you, your values, or your leadership? To what purpose is your Life Wall leading you? And where are the opportunities to take your unique experiences and serve the world, your community, and your family in a bigger way?
If you’re looking for deeper impact and a thought partner to help you explore your Life Wall and plan your next steps, let’s talk.
I’m Linley Daly and this is The Daly Blog