The Value of Community
In the days and weeks that have followed my first coaching workshops, I felt overcome with gratitude to the community of support that has helped me get to this point. This blog is a reflection on the value of community, and a gentle invitation to consider how you too can foster a beautiful supportive community ♡
While I am immensely proud of what I have achieved in the last year, I have to say that it has been born out of the depth of support I am surrounded by: an incredible community that encourages and believes in me.
I feel that all too often the idea of being strong and independent is considered the pinnacle of success. I think it is far more nuanced than that. You can be both strong and let people in, or you can be both independent in thought and benefit from a supportive community.
Somewhere in there, there is a balance.
And while I would hardly say I have "mastered" finding and maintaining this balance, I can say that I have massively experienced the benefits of letting those I love in on my dreams.
In our individualistic society, we often feel we have to keep these things to ourselves. Perhaps this is related to our fear of vulnerability, as the brilliant Brene Brown continues to remind us in her work. Regardless of what it is, let me tell you, there is MAGIC on the other side of letting people in.
Yes, it can be scary, but spoiler alert: those who love you want you to succeed! It can feel like a gift to be let in on your journey, to move with you through the challenges and celebrate with you during the wins.
Let me be clear, not everyone deserves or needs to be let in. It is after all your journey, but I encourage you to ask yourself ‘am I staying quiet because I am scared?’ And if so, I invite you to consider what might ACTUALLY happen if you say what I truly want out loud?
For me, oftentimes, it is the fear of ACTUALLY having to do the thing. A recent example of this from me was having to bring my workshops to life. I thought about it for a long time, and then I talked about it for a while. Having conversations with trusted companions (and an incredible coach) helped me build my confidence, my trust in myself, and work through some of the more logistical bits to make it happen.
More specifically, one of the things that working with a coach has provided me is a container to speak these things, to breathe life into my dreams before I share them with more people, to realize that the world doesn’t crash down once they’re out in it. A safe first step, to build my confidence and feel more connected to the deep knowing that it’s not only possible but right.
The wealth of support that has poured toward me nearly takes my breath away.
With all this said, I cannot encourage you enough to foster your own community of support. I want you to know, that you deserve to feel that kind of support too, but the first step is being open to it, being willing to let people in.
So, what do I invite and encourage you to do with your dreams, your goals, what you REALLY want for yourself? Share them with those you love, those you trust, those who will cheer you through the wins and support you through the challenges. One conversation, one share, one vulnerable moment at a time.
To speak our dreams breathes life into them and makes them that much more real. They take the first step from going from an idea to action. The other thing that's magic, is once they are out in the world, a natural sense of accountability is created.
If it feels scary (and it probably will!) I encourage you to ask yourself:
How can I support myself to feel more comfortable or at ease sharing these dreams?
How can I lovingly hold myself accountable?
Who could I trust with my biggest dreams?
Where do I feel most comfortable sharing?
Or check out my previous post on making friends with fear!
We all deserve to be surrounded by people who want to see us thrive, and most of those who love you will want that, I invite you to give them the chance, you may be pleasantly surprised.
If this post has felt supportive for you, it would mean the world to me if you shared it with a friend or let me know your thoughts!
If you are craving more direct support, check out my 1 on 1 coaching opportunities or pop me an email, happy to answer any questions you might have and see if coaching is the right fit for you ♡
