One of the parts of my "job" is personal development. I work out and I eat right (at least 80% of the time, but certainly not 100%) but what about my brain and my soul?!?! It's crazy to me that as people become an inspiration that they can forget or neglect to keep developing all the parts of themselves. This for me, is the easiest part.
For a few months I just asked what other coaches were reading, what other people recommended and followed along. I was able to find some great books ("You are a badass", omg GREAT BOOK!!!) Then it just kind of felt like I was reading for the sake of reading, not because anything interested me or offered me immediate value. Then I remembered some of the authors I used to hear about or read about while I was in college and when I worked as a manager for different corporations. All of these books basically were about leadership. Insightful and easy to read authors, but I was getting bored because one thing I will say for myself is that I have paid close attention to every thing I have ever learned about being a leader because I never wanted to be somebody who was ordering people around or the person in front of the line. I like to think of myself more like the person in a side by side line who carries the map. So anyway, as far as leadership and what my needs are today I'm good. This absolutely doesn't mean I have much more to learn, it just means that right now there are more pressing topics to fill my soul.
I stopped asking everyone else what they were reading and what they thought I should read. I started looking online a little bit at popular books, but it wasn't doing the trick. I joined 2 libraries in the last month (remember, I moved) and what I've done is just start searching topics that just came to mind. How was I feeling, what was I looking for, what could add most value to my life? What is my end result gonna look like? Words like nutrition, fitness, self help, mental health, development, spiritual, devotion and happiness and many others came to mind. I started typing them in.. sometimes together, sometimes on their own and then titles and authors were showing up. I have stacks of choices of books and authors to go through. I snatched some of the titles from my last library visit and while I'm not sure I'll be able to actually get through them before they absolutely have to be returned I am so excited about all this information in front of me waiting to add value to my life. I can not tell you the excitement of being able to learn something new everyday and there is always more than one thing I learn. Best of all at least one of those bits I learn is about myself!!
Right now I am reading "The Nine Rooms of Happiness: Loving Yourself, Finding Your Purpose and Getting Over Life's Little Imperfections." I have to tell you after reading the first chapter I get this feeling of a great change is coming and it is coming soon and that I will have a profound effect upon someone else when it comes. If you have spare time after you get in that exercise everyday that is going to clear your mind and help you live longer, take 10 minutes every single day and read something. Maybe you like to read a good mystery or the newspaper, that is not what I am talking about here. Read something for yourself that will make you feel happy, inspired, excited or any other positive emotion. You've earned this. No judgment, no fear, just you and a great book. Now go, do it. No excuses!
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