Last month as I scrolled through instagram I came across a picture of me. It was taken from behind as I stood in a friend’s yoga class balanced in tree pose. The picture captured a moment in time where I looked perfectly balanced. Fast forward 5 seconds and change the angle; and I imagine the photo that wasn’t taken. This time the tired face of a woman in her mid-40’s toppling over… again.
Two snapshot moments in time. Both equally real, yet until I saw the photo if you’d asked me if I could balance in tree pose, I would probably have said no. As human beings we so often choose to define ourselves by our perceived weaknesses and faults. How often have you been put off trying something because you were worried you wouldn’t be good enough? Perhaps it was applying for a new job or taking up a new hobby. Did you pause to think of the skills you do have to get you there, or what a trusted friend might say if you voiced your worries?
Whilst raising self-awareness through coaching doesn’t hide us away from where we have opportunity to develop, it does help us recognise our strengths in a way we can develop these too. After all, these are our superpowers, and they deserve our attention.
Reflecting back on my reaction to seeing that photo I realise I felt proud and uncomfortable in equal measures. Proud because it was the me I wanted to be; uncomfortable because it wasn’t the full story. But it is a part of my story and today I choose to celebrate that moment.
Nicky Hill Coaching 