Referring to the wise words of David Viscott -
“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”
This speaks much to me as I chose to transition to a career in coaching in 2011. It brings to mind my own journey discovering my purpose and what makes me joyful and motivated. Being a catalyst for a business’s growth brought me accolade and pride; while being an enabler for someone’s growth brings me joy and meaning. 2020 was filled with (unpleasant) surprises and deep concerns globally. It was also the year that I felt most grateful for the work I do and the positive impact I can bring to those around me.
I started the year 2020 with these focus areas– being present, holding space and to continue my journey of living out PLAY and expanding the usage and relevance to others, especially for my girls Kira and Erin, because PLAY is what they do best and are here to teach us adults. My focus on 3Cs kept me going - common sense, civic consciousness and compassion - which are crucial to us as a species in evolving out of our collective fear and grief.
Now in January 2021, we find ourselves in the second wave of COVID-19 in South Africa, chatting with families recovering from the virus, sadly hearing of those who didn’t make it, banning of large gatherings, large economic losses, a burgeoning financial crisis and endless sanitising and handwashing. In order to continue the resilience and also find the silver linings in today’s complex environment, my metaphor would be the lighthouse that is the welcoming sight for all.
The lighthouse that stands tall and humble, through rain or shine, shining forth, giving hope and direction. This is how I can best support those around me and professionally, my coachees. By being stable and inspiring, I can guide and support them to make their way towards where they need to be while building their courage and hope. In the coming year, I am personally choosing to gain ease and focus on holistic growth of self and in service to others.
P.S. The lighthouse metaphor is actually very much “alive” in our household. In 2017 we bought our family home and built for our girls a yellow and white nautical-themed room they both share, complete with porthole they can slide open/close to chat to each other while in their beds. There’s a upper deck which is a lighthouse and a light they can switch on to “Let their light shine” as I say, so that in life, they discover their gifts and skills and shine that forward towards the betterment of the world we live in.