I ended a busy, productive year and began the new one in a reflective mood, thinking about something that has been playing on my mind for a while now.
As someone relatively active on social media, more so in my professional Myth Aunty avatar rather than my personal one, my presence here as always been with the goal to ‘share’. Share what I know, with no expectations for what will come my way. Sending out into the universe my knowledge and experiences and I guess as they say, the universe gives back. I always believe that this is why people reach out with a range of opportunities. Not all these opportunities can be quantified with a tangible return, monetarily or with fame, but each one of them have brought deep satisfaction, joy and pride in my work.
If you have been one of those who has reached out to me to appreciate, for work, to guide, to ask for guidance...I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
This past year, I was often asked…
”What is it that you do?”
“Oh, but I didn’t know you do….xyz?”
“So and so asked me to follow you…I didn’t know you had so much experience!!”
And so many more “didn’t knows” that were followed by “you need to put yourself out there more.”
Do I?
Why is this ‘putting ourselves out there’ matter so much?
In this social media world, I find a lot of noise. Tom-tomming of self, achievements, outcomes, fantastic feedback, promises of what you can become/achieve/discover. Dancing, singing, gesturing and other eye-popping drivel that often has no depth.
The minuscule ‘reels’ format only serves to emphasise this.
But how often do you find heartfelt sharing, genuine information?
.
What about depth?
I may not have broadened my horizon in the way the world expects me to, or see my self on the ‘billboards’ of social media, but what I find myself asking myself is how I have deepened my own practice in my work. This could be knowledge, building relationships or just genuinely offering help and guidance. How have I deepened my relationship with myself? Am I happy with what I have achieved.
.
In some ways, yes and in others, no.
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What are your thoughts about your work and what makes you feel like you are ‘successful’?
Thank you, Anne.
Whatever horizons that are chosen by you, not 'the world' are all that matter in the greater goodness of time. Self-assessment, as you are describing, can be helpful when measured per our goals and aims, not those set by others. I have an aversion to the concept of success as most people define. "how have I deepened my own practice" is a helpful question. I hear honesty, what an essential ingredient. More power to you JoAnne!