Be Brave…On Purpose
I’m not one for setting New Year’s resolutions. However, as January kicked off, I picked my ‘word for the year.’ I was inspired to do this by a couple of colleagues – thank you Maria Abbe and Ken Garcia.
I set out to find a word packed with meaning and that would serve as a guiding principle. A word that would help me focus my energy on the right things, drive me to action, and push me to grow personally and professionally.
My ‘word for the year’ – BRAVE.
I wrote it on the whiteboard in my office, right above some surprise messages from my mom.
Life Tip #1: It’s never too late to start something new. Find your word and bring it meaning.
Life Tip #2: Even at 37, you are never too old for a message from your mom.
Life Tip #3: You don’t have to perfectly display your Expo markers, but they sure look prettier that way!
Ok, now back to the good stuff.
As I started to dive into the power and possibilities of being brave, I naturally turned to Brene Brown’s work for encouragement and guidance. That is where I discovered her Manifesto of the Brave and Brokenhearted.
As I revisited the manifesto and read…
We will not be characters in our stories. Not villains, not victims, not even heroes. We are the authors of our lives. We write our own daring endings.
It reminded me of a conversation with my Purpose to Impact Alumni group led by Nick Craig. Nick is the President of the Core Leadership Institute and author of Leading from Purpose. He is also the one who guided me on my purpose journey which I’m forever grateful for and hope you will read more about it.
During the discussion, Nick brought up something to the group that was incredibly thought provoking and reflective.
True leaders are story writers, not story tellers.
If you ever have the opportunity to participate in a Purpose to Impact workshop with Nick or read his book (and I hope you do), you’ll find the starting point to the purpose journey is defining the characteristics of authentic leadership. While there are many characteristics, the core of authentic leadership is purpose. And ironically enough (or maybe not), the core of authentic is author.
Connecting all these things together, I asked myself…
“What is the story I want to own and write?”
While I didn’t have the answer right then and there, I was on a quest to find it, own it, live it, and share it.
That is when I then found Cleo Wade. I was probably tardy to the party as I’m sure many others have been reaping the benefits of her powerful and inspiring words for years. But I guess timing really is everything.
Her TED Talk from 2017, Want to Change the World? Be Brave Enough to Care, showed up just when I needed it.
I’ve watched it several times over the past few weeks and also purchased her book, Where to Begin, so that I could not only hear her words, but read them and allow them to really soak in.
As I share this on Juneteenth and the day before International Day of Purpose nonetheless, my ‘word of the year’ has taken on a deeper and wiser meaning. And the story I want to write is about being brave – not only to help myself, but to help others and our future generations.
Many people probably want to hit the reset button or take a mulligan for 2020. I’m right there with you. However, I would still choose my same ‘word of the year’ as my eyes and heart are being opened to something bigger when it comes to being brave.
The world will say to you…well, a lot of things.
I say to the world… I will show up, love hard, and Be Brave…On Purpose.
