Who are you NOT to Live Happier?

Thanks to StudioJru for the photo

The most common lament I hear in my office is Who am I to (fill in the blank)...Honestly client's rarely say those words but they are the overarching message of most of the doubts and insecurities that my clients share.  Who am I to be happy...to ask for more money...to go back to school...to do something I love?  The words they say are I can't go back to school because we don't have enough money, that would take too long or  I already have a degree and on and on and on.  But bottom line I believe the underlying theme is who am I to put my family out and ask to go back to school?  Who am I to get another degree I should have picked right the first time?  Who am I to ask for more money in this economy I am lucky to have a job?

So we continue to aim low, play small, stay in our box. Occasionally I think of this lament in my own world. As I blog, do presentations or write, I think who am I to say how to do this stuff?  Even though I have figured and implemented a lot of actions to make my life happier I still am human, still have things to learn.  So every now and then the question of Who Am I will enter my brain.

Recently when that thought pops into my head I have been asking myself Who am I NOT??  Who am I NOT to share what I have learned, what works for me?  I have started asking my clients that same question...who are you NOT to go back to school, to get paid what you are worth, to have a career you adore?  Who are you NOT to make sacrifices and work hard to show your children what living happier looks and feels like?  Who are you NOT to share what you have learned, spread your gifts and live a life that is authentic and therefore powerful??

Somewhere along the line we learned humble is best, play small, stay compliant and all will be well.  But today I am challenging you to first pay attention to how often your mongers have the theme of 'who am I....?' and then ask yourself 'who am I NOT....?'