Define, Commit, Evolve.

"What do you have to do to be President?" Susan asked. 

 She was in her stroller, and we were on our way to Challenger. I walked her there in the morning, 1.9 miles each way, to her Kindergarten class. Usually, we worked on her alphabet crown, today was a bit different.

How do you answer that kind of a questions for a six year old? For this six year old?

 

Susan had always been "something else" compassionate and strong, voicing her opinion politely but sternly. She always said "please" and "thank you", asking for things in an adorable way no one negated - especially since she was missing all four of her front teeth from toddler age. She was the epitome of silly and serious somehow, all at the same time.

 

So, how to become President.... What a question, and she was waiting for an answer. 

"Well, there's a lot you'd have to do, but first you have to have a strong moral compass, I think. You have to know who you are, and what's right for the country - and follow through on what you know you have to do. I think you could do it."

Satisfied, she sat back to contemplate my answer and I thought more about her question. I've thought about it a lot, actually, since then. A few years after that day, Susan decided she didn't want to be President anymore - or a leader. She wanted to be 'normal' and have a regular job. She told everyone, but most didn't listen. Over one tense political conversation between the cousins one day, they all agreed on only one thing - Susan would make a great President. Considering their ages ran from about 5 to 15, it was interesting to see them unify around - and a little sad to see Susan back away from - such a strong statement, that strong of a belief in someone.

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This year, Susan is thirteen and COVID-19 is raging around the globe. Though she's an introvert for the most part, she enjoys teachers, interacting and observing at school. She's noticed, with some irritation, that she's always in charge of groups in class. The teachers use her as an example, and her friends look to her for solutions, inspiration and money. 

 

It's hilarious. 

 

With COVID, as I'm sure with many kids, she's been disappointed by the schools shutting down, but instead of getting upset or lazy, she came to me with another hefty question.

"How do you become your best self?" 

  

This is what she's decided to focus on and commit to while we've been asked to self-isolate. She's decided to focus on her school still, but that's simple for her (minus orchestra, which is still coming along really well). 

Again, I needed a bit to formulate an answer. I gave her a few answers right away though, and then, two days later told her to erase what I'd said, mentally, let's start at it again.

"First, you have to decide what your best self is, to you - and it'll change, so know that, too. Who you want to be today and who you'll need to be tomorrow may change sometimes. For today, though, start with a list. Write it out - who is your best self? What does that mean to you? And then make another list of all the actions and skills you'll need to accomplish those things, and then add the tools and resources you need to do your list of actions."

I won't go into the rest, or what she came up with, but I will say she has really taken it to heart, shown up each day since with something new, that I can see, and is focused on becoming her best self. 

  

She doesn't want to be a leader, but she's always appointed one, so she's started to accept what we all must come to - typically at a much older age - that we don't choose all that we are - we can only choose to commit to it, our best "It" - for us - and grow, evolve and love ourselves as we go. 

Isn't this what it's all about? 

Isn't this what we go to churches for, buy self-help books for, absorb mystical content and read MEMES about? 

To discover, define and become - always? As we live, and learn, and love - ourselves and each other?

 

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What is it you want in your life? 

 

Who are you, really? 

 

What tools do you have to help express and develop that self you deeply (and sometimes secretly), love and want to be?

What is your superhero, ideal, best self - are you living it? If not, why not? What are you afraid of? Is that fear more real than your potential?

We all have have time, we have resources and if you'd like to grow but don't know what they are, I have a team of incredible people that can help you to discover, uncover and find what you have to utilize. We're really good at it, too. I'm going to be doing live and video classes on some aspects I think I can help with soon, too. It's a little of what I'm afraid of, but we'll get there.

Build your ideal world. We do live in that age. We can become our best and highest self - for ourselves, and for the sake of all humanity. Your gifts are as needed as Susan's, mine and the neighbors' you do or don't know. 

We all have something to give. 

We are enough.

Define, commit, evolve. 

Want more? Comment, message or find me on social media and let's chat.