December 2017
Page 9
Coffee Break with
Dr. Andrea
MAKE 2018
THE YEAR YOU
OWN IT!
I
was sitting at a luncheon waiting for
the program to start, when a woman
approached the lady on my right.
They greeted each other with excitement,
while passing compliments to one another.
The woman shared a story of how she
had recently visited a new hair stylist.
She said, “The new stylist didn’t do it like
the other girl, but I’m owning it.” Just as
she completed her statement, she flipped
her hair and walked off with a confident
bounce to her step.
This conversation didn’t involve me,
but it was as if it was intended for me. I
saw something pass in the words that were
spoken between familiar friends. I saw a
truth about life. The truth being that often
times our situations (job, finances, family,
etc.) are not ideal, but you work with what
you have. That’s owning it!
We’re not all a 5’10” supermodel with
perfect skin or a Nobel Prize winning
chemist. That woman with a not so perfect
haircut, acknowledged that her hair wasn’t
perfect, but she was working with it. Not
complaining…not throwing a pity party…
not somewhere hiding in the corner. She
was “making lemonade out of lemons,” as
the clique says.
Are you owning it? Do you even know
what “it” is for you? As 2017 comes to a
close then, think about who you are today
and who you aspire to be one year from
now. Are you already there? If there is a
gap, then you have to figure out why and
what’s stopping you from getting there.
Part of getting there is about accepting
and owning what has contributed to
you becoming the person you are today.
Consider the following:
1. Own your dysfunction, but don’t let
it own you. We all have it, but we don’t
want to talk about it. We hide it under an
expensive suit or drown it in a glass of
chardonnay. We drag it from relationship to
relationship like a bag of laundry. It’s our
dysfunction. Owning your dysfunctions is
about accepting your faults, imperfections,
and shortcomings, but not let it define the
person you’re aspiring to be. Pushing past
your limitations and fears will free you
from the hold that it has on you.
2. Own your process, but don’t let it
discourage you. The process of closing
that gap between who you are today and
who you aspire to be one year from now
is tough. Just as the simple act of boiling
water can help prepare a meal or generate
electricity to a community, so is the process
that you’re going through. It’s powerful! At
times this powerful transformation can feel
impossible. The task is to recognize that the
ups and downs are just preparing you. Trust
the process and stay encouraged.
3. Own your attitude and let it elevate
you. One of my favorite quotes by Zig
Ziglar says, “It’s your attitude, not your
aptitude, that determines your altitude.”
Your attitude impacts how you react to
unexpected situations. A bad attitude can
put you in a place of negativity and close
you off to future opportunities. On the other
hand, a positive attitude will keep you be
lifted despite what happens.
4. Own your journey and let it take you
places. The journey to become the person
you aspire to be is an unexplored path.
If you had been down the path, then you
would already be there. As long as you stay
open to the possibilities, it will take you
places you never imagined.
5. Own your greatness and be who you
were designed to be. You are uniquely and
wonderfully made. You have purpose, and
you’re fully equipped to carry it out. Stop
listening to that little voice that’s telling
you otherwise. It’s time to stop comparing
your gifts and talents to others.
If you want your 2018 to be your best
year yet, then it’s time to own it!
IDG Vision Consulting & Training
inspires, develops, and grows the vision
inside of people/organizations by helping
them get from where they are today
(point A) to where they want to be (point
B). Whether you are simply looking for
motivation to build new skills or a strategic
plan for success, we offer one-on-one and
group coaching, workshops/seminars, and
mastermind group studies to help achieve
your goals. Contact us at 770-648-3