Recently I had a conversation with a highly accomplished coaching client that reminded me how hard it is to give ourselves what we most naturally give others.
My client put herself through college and medical school and is now a senior leader in a large hospital. She is known for her intellect, dedication, and compassion for others.
She has been in her new job almost six months. During our last conversation she offhandedly shared that she hadn’t told any of her friends, or even her two closest siblings, about her promotion. I couldn’t help but interrupt her to ask, somewhat incredulously, why. Her answer brought tears to both of our eyes. “I didn’t want to come across as bragging or make anyone feel badly about themselves.”
We do not make people who love us feel small when we show up big. Yet we definitely make ourselves feel small when we resist being who we are, when we don’t share our hard-earned wins, or give ourselves a chance to receive high-fives and “way to go’s” from those people who are closest to us. We also deprive themof the opportunityto give to us and amplify our positive emotion.
My client told her brother and sister her big news the next weekend. Not only were they happy for her, but they both said her accomplishments inspired them as well – something my client did not anticipate and took great delight in.
And that’s what I’m talking about – we serve no one when we play small. We stand to brighten the world when we stand tall. Your light lights the way for others. Shine on…
