|
There's nothing like asking yourself questions and reflecting to know what you've value, what you regret and what you want to do with the rest of your life.
While cleaning up files on my computer today I ran across a document I had been asked to complete as a preparation for being interviewed for a book on inspiring women. As I read through the responses to the questions it prompted me to take a look on all that I have accomplished or failed at in my life thus far and the lessons I have taken away from each experience. I have included part of the document here in the hopes that you might be inspired to ask yourself the same questions about your life to see what might pop up for you. I have also left my responses in to prompt you to go deeper than you might normally in searching for the meaning of each question as it relates to your life. Enjoy! Was there ever a teacher that encouraged your abilities and to dream of great things, or were critical of your abilities? Did anyone ever say you’d never be accomplished? I had several teachers that took me under their wings and made me feel like I had something to contribute. I was fortunate in my youth never to have anyone put limits on my abilities. What kind of student were you in school? I was an average student. During my early years I went to several different schools as we moved cities or countries. This took some getting used to but I think helped me adjust to change much more readily that most people. It was only later as an adult when I continued my education that I really started to get A’s. I attribute this to finding my passion for what I wanted to study. What was your environment like growing up? I spent a lot of time around adults which helped me learn how to converse with them in a more grown up role early on. In my family we did not believe that children were seen and not heard, which I think really helped me prepare to become someone not afraid to express her opinions. What did you want to be when you “grew up?” An ambassador…don’t know where I got that one from? I then wanted to be a travel agent. What were your creative talents growing up? Musical instruments, dance, crafts? I used to be in annual school plays. I often was fortunate to get one of the lead roles. I played Aunt Eller in Oklahoma while living in Australia. The audience didn’t realize that I was Canadian and would remark how wonderfully I had nailed the American accent. It was a real hoot to have them then realize once they met me after the performance that I wasn’t Australian and that I hadn’t ‘put on’ the accent. How do you balance your work-personal life? Before the beginning of the next month I block off some ‘me time’. By doing this I ensure that I have time to do whatever I want during the month whether it is spending time with friends, getting a massage or going to the movies. If I waited until I had scheduled in everything and everybody else I would never find the time. Once I do this, everything falls into place and I rarely have scheduling conflicts. What kind of books do you read? Mostly self improvement books. Who is your favorite author? I read so many authors but one of the best books to date is Jack Canfield’s ‘Success Principles’. I love to use a yellow highlighter when I read and after reading the book for the first time and highlighting all over the place I went and bought the book again, because I got so much out of reading the book. I have never done this type of thing before which shows me how important this book was for me to read. What is your favorite movie of all-time? I have a couple that I always watch when they are on TV. Legally Blonde 1 & 2, Hope Floats and Bridget Jones 1 & 2. I don’t know why they are my favorites, but they are feel good movies for me. What makes you laugh? Just about anything from the absurd to the hysterical. I am fortunate to be able to find the lighter side in most anything. I don’t tend to have bad days just bad moments which I believe is in part to my sense of humor
What are your hobbies? I love to travel and have been fortunate to make this both my hobby and vocation at different times of my life. What do you think about the fashion industry and how it depicts women/girls? I think it gives girls a very distorted view on what beauty is and how much you should weigh or how you should look. I believe it also affects a sense of individuality. Do you have time for a social life? I have over the years had more of a social life but I don’t believe I had the quality that I enjoy now. With limited time for socializing, like most of us, I look to spend time with people that uplift and support me . Activities also must be rewarding in some way, rather than doing something for the sake of just having something to do. Any challenges you had to face regarding finances that young women could learn from who are chasing their dreams? I didn’t always manage my finances the way I should have. I wish I had been taught from a small age the value of investing a part of my income each paycheck. But I can’t fault my parents, as even as a young adult I didn’t make that decision. I can see how this has impacted my choices, or in fact limited my choices. It has affected me in regarding to chasing my dreams at times, as it has either delayed them or I have discarded or modified them in some way. Had I managed my money better I may not have had to do so. Do you ever feel guilty for your success? Why? When I was younger I was raised to believe that you didn’t show up others by drawing attention to yourself or your accomplishments. I realized later that this wasn’t necessary and by letting ‘your light shine’ you could in fact inspire others to step into their own magnificence. I no longer feel guilty for my accomplishments and while I wouldn’t go out and brag about it, I won’t shun discussing it either. What are the drawbacks to your career? If you are not self motivated then it will affect the extent of your success. I have learned the importance of being a self starter and finding motivation within me to succeed. If you don’t learn lessons from others who went before you, then you can spin your wheels trying to do it all yourself or waste time in trying to invent the wheel. If you do not already have children, do you want them? Up until a couple of years ago I did want children. When I was younger I thought I wanted to have about 5 kids and would have loved to home school them. Now at my age I realize that I no longer need to have children to be able to contribute to raising a child. I can be a positive role model to younger children and be a good aunt to my niece and nephews. What does spirituality mean to you? Does it play a role in your career? I would consider myself a very spiritual person. It is something that I live 24/7, not just on Sundays. It assists me in being the best person I can be, while giving me strength and guidance. What is your greatest strength? I would say that my sense of humor is my biggest strength. It helps me get through the tough times and helps me see the upside of most situations. What is your biggest weakness? Doing more for others than I sometimes do for myself. What are the keys to handling the ups and downs with your business? Taking the outlook that even when things get rough or difficult there are lessons to be learned from it. If you could do it all over again, would you change anything? Yes. I would manage my finances better, not hold myself back at times from playing full out and put myself out there more often. Do you do anything that other may consider quirky? Or off-beat? I think there are people that think I am weird because I love to read books on self improvement topics, time management and the like. I also love to go to conferences and training seminars or listen to audio books so that I can learn more about transforming myself and my life while also impacting others. I don’t know anyone around me that would do as much as I do in this area so I think people may believe this is quirky or off-beat. Luckily I don’t let that get to me and spend my time and resources in a way that uplifts me. Is there something you’ve always wanted to do, but never had yet done (such as rock climbing)? I have been fortunate to date to do many of those things on my list. Some of them include flying in a floatplane, helicopter (many times), cruising to Alaska, hot air ballooning and visiting the Grand Canyon. Some of the things yet to accomplish are visit the pyramids and travel to Greece. My advice to people is to write a list down of what you want to do, this makes it more tangible and on your radar screen. ========================================  Sharon is a passionate personal leadership coach and speaker working with individuals and groups wanting to achieve a more balanced and fulfilling life. Her mission is to inspire and encourage people to live their best life with compassion, love and integrity.
Contact Sharon at
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
Click here to read all my blogs. Click here to watch my video on integrity. Click here to watch my video on how our choices affect our dreams and our lives. © Sharon Worsley, 2008. Would you like to reprint this article? Please contact me. Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register. Powered by AkoComment! |
