Welcome to The LIFT
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HOW ARE YOU, REALLY?
I mean - really. How are you?
Has anyone stopped to ask you lately? I know sometimes in all of our hurrying about, we forget to pause + check in - with each other, with ourselves.
If you’re willing, I invite you to just take a moment to let that question soak in for a second.
How are you, really?
I just finished reading a book by Jenna Kutcher with that title. I’ll include a link in the resources below. If you’re at a place where you are craving a deeper connection to yourself or your dreams - a place where you are exploring how you want to spend your time on the planet - her book is filled with nuggets to help us stop + ponder some of those important questions that bring us back home to ourselves.
I think it would do us all some good to stop + ask each other this question a little more often. To lean in a bit deeper. To be willing to open up a little wider.
It’s a little scary coming off of the last couple of years. I think at some level we are afraid to really open up too much to each other because we’re not sure we can handle the weight of anyone else’s issues. We are all carrying too much of our own.
And yet, that space of vulnerability with each other is where the true connection + healing lies. For all of us.
In our culture, we associate vulnerability with emotions we want to avoid such as fear, shame, and uncertainty. Yet we too often lose sight of the fact that vulnerability is also the birthplace of joy, belonging, creativity, authenticity, and love.
Brene Brown
I don’t know anyone who isn’t craving more joy, belonging, creativity, authenticity + love. Do you?
They say revealing is healing. Opening up is where healing starts. It’s actually pretty remarkable how that works.
And, it makes sense. After all, inhibition takes effort. Holding up those protective walls is draining. Any time we restrict our full expression, it weakens our immune system + puts us at risk for disease. It’s all connected.
Opening up, leaning in - this is where belonging, joy, authenticity, creativity, love + healing begin.
THE LAST DAY
I remember reading a post years ago by James Altucher where he challenged the thought we all perpetuate to ‘live life to the fullest’. Treat every day as if it was your last. Live life as if it is your last day.
He asked, what if we flipped that?
What if instead, we lived life as if it was everyone else’s last day? How would THAT change our interactions with those around us?
What if you treated every person as if it was their last day?
Would you be a little nicer? A little more intentional? More attentive? More generous? More gentle? More loving?
Would you ask better questions? Listen more closely?
It’s an interesting twist, right?
Think about all the ways you can apply this perspective? The people closest to you. That stranger you cross paths with. Not to mention - imagine for a moment how it would make you feel to enter every encounter with this perspective.
Speaking of interesting twists, I have to say, this was not the topic I was going to share when I sat down to write today, but I’m going to leave it here. We can pick up on my other topic next week.
I hope this gives you a little LIFT in your week. A new approach. Something to think about or share.
Meanwhile, I’m looking forward to a week with a little more openness + gentleness in my world.
You in?
YOUR MISSION:
This week, I invite you to join me in asking someone how they really are. Then, listen to them as if it was their last day. I’d love to hear how it goes.
RESOURCES:
READ: Revealing is Healing | Psychology Today
READ: How are you, really? | Jenna Kutcher
READ: Live your life as if everyone else was going to die today | James Altucher
LISTEN: Dr. Gabor Mate | The Myth of Normal | Rich Roll Podcast
IN SUMMARY:
I’m still booking coffee dates. In person + virtual. It’s a personal goal of mine to have more face-to-face conversations this year. To connect at a deeper level. To share ideas + insights. If you’d love to sit + have a conversation. Get to know each other better or to simply catch up. I’d love it! Here’s my calendar: https://calendly.com/karenfriendsmith
See you next week?
Meanwhile - you can read thru the archives here. And, please reach out to me anytime!
Email: karen@becounter.com
Instagram: @redefiningkaren
thank you Karen! I scheduled a virtual chat with you for Oct 21; it'll be nice to connect. I appreciated your advice above.
here and alive