How Self-Image Affects Direction

With all the changes in my life lately, I’ve had to make some choices about what direction I want to go to further develop my business. My self-image has influenced those choices to a certain extent.

I’m faced with the choice of how to involve myself in community development, and how to position my business to take advantage of growth here. In some areas, I can see exactly what I can do, and know that I can do that successfully. In other areas, I just do not see myself functioning in certain capacities.

Today, in an online conversation, someone took my questions about direction, and put to words some of the deeper feelings I have had, but which I had not fully articulated. It was cool when I read her comments and felt that response of rightness that went right through me.

Part of what touched me in what she said is that her comments brought the whole picture around to where it fit my goals and my perceptions of who I am.

I desire to have a positive influence on people, and to use my skills to better their lives. I want to use my skills to strengthen families. Suddenly, in what was said, I could see how a change in my thinking could align the opportunities presented by growth in our town, with my goals to help others succeed in a way that helps their families succeed better also.

I do not see myself as doing huge things. I have always sort of operated in the background, doing small things, and reaching people one at a time. Some of that perception is gradually changing as it is made clear to me that I can reach people in a different way. But when it comes to setting a course for myself that involves contacting senators and congress persons, and becoming an activist for change, I just feel tired at the thought!

On the other hand, I think that someone who just keeps doing a consistently good job at what they do, even if they never get the attention of very many people at a time, can move mountains through determined small efforts. That is a role I am very comfortable with, partly because I don’t need to see huge things to feel that it is worth it. I only need to see one small thing happen from the work, and I know that other things happened too.

I think that in order to really take action in a specific direction, I have to be able to envision myself becoming the person who could do the things it would require. Sometimes I just cannot stretch my mind that far. But just as often, I can find an alternate way to accomplish a similar goal, through things that I CAN see myself doing successfully.

I wonder if that has held me back sometimes – that I’ve been stopped from going in a certain direction because I just could not get my mind around something that I really was capable of doing. But I also have to wonder if perhaps that is a blessing, which helps me realize a potential in another direction, which, though perhaps less noticeable, is none-the-less worthwhile and good.