3 Simple Things to Feel 1000x Better

"The [person] who views the world at 50 the same as [they] did at 20 has wasted 30 years of [their] life." – Muhammad Ali

Picture this: 

You're a sailboat on the open sea. However, without a clear direction or a sense of purpose, you're at the mercy of the winds and currents.

Now, imagine if you could harness those winds (like sexy Xaden from Forth Wing) to sail smoothly toward a destination that fills you with joy and fulfillment. 

This is the power of discovering your personal blessing.

A personal blessing, your “PB,” is the unique combination of talents, strengths, and passions that naturally bring joy, fulfillment, and a sense of purpose to your life. It represents the areas where you thrive and make the most significant positive impact, aligning your work and personal endeavors with what you are inherently good at and deeply enjoy.

If your life feels stuck, it’s because you don’t:

• Identify your PB

• Overcome self-doubt

• Align your work with your strengths

You’re letting the winds and currents take you wherever they please instead of harnessing their power to move in the direction of your choosing.

The solution: embrace your true potential, not what others expect.

I’m challenging myself to do this right now at work.

It started out with me:

• Agreeing to take on two new clients

• Volunteering to train and mentor an under-qualified new hire

• Undertaking an employee on their “performance improvement track”

• Saying yes to traveling to North Caroline to visit a client on a moment's notice

Three weeks later I found myself crying alone in a hotel room on a Tuesday morning -- aching to take the whole day off work -- wondering how life got so chaotic so quickly.

With a significant relationship in my life changing, I leaned hard into work for stability and validation.

I found myself in a typical pattern – one that happens a lot less than it used to, but still sneaks around when I’m going through stuff: saying yes to everything and not asking for help.

I feel anxious about my survival in one area of life so I overcompensate by trying to be the best in another area of my life.

I was clear on how I got there but I didn’t know what I wanted my ideal future to be. Like a ship being blown about aimlessly at sea, I didn’t know where I was going.

Ever the personal-development nerd, I found a tool to help me better understand myself and, for the last two weeks, have gathered data on my PB.

Here’s exactly how I’m doing it.

Your New PB: Discovering Your Personal Blessing

First, admit that you’re drifting.

Humility is a character trait that I look for when hiring new employees. It shows me that they are teachable, which is non-negotiable for someone I want to work with.

Come to think of it -- it’s becoming a non-negotiable for anyone I spend time with. Period.

Feel like you're drifting? It’s because you haven’t:

• Focused on what brings joy

• Recognized your true strengths

• Used tools to uncover your abilities

• Aligned your life with your passions

Discovering your Personal Blessing will fix that.

Are you drifting?

You need to join me on this journey of discovering your PB if you’re having any one of the following experiences…

You Lack Fulfillment

Telltale signs that you lack fulfillment are, you’re:

1. Looking at Instagram first thing in the morning

2. Daydreaming about quitting your job and traveling the world

3. Saying yes to everything (be it cake, work, or people) in hopes that something will satisfy you

Without a clear understanding of what you’re naturally good at and passionate about, you might find yourself stuck in a rut, doing work that feels monotonous and draining.

You’re Wasting Your Potential

You risk squandering your talents and skills by not aligning them with your career and personal life, leading to a sense of unfulfilled potential.

Before I stopped drinking I had the horrible feeling that I was wasting my potential. 

After overcoming an eating disorder in my late teens, I had tools to teach people about how to love and support their body. However, instead of seeking out those people and sharing my story- like my soul wanted me to - I spent my weekends in bars and spent more time complaining about my work-life than marveling at the beauty of life.

The cycles we stay stuck in squander our talents and our soul knows it. It’s what I call a soul sickness.

If you feel that soul sickness, trust it.

It’s time to make a change.

You Have Inconsistent Performance

Without focusing on your PB, you may struggle with inconsistent results and frustration, as you’re not leveraging your true strengths.

Sometimes I feel (key word “feel”) like I’m either the best at my job or the absolute worst. 

My performance at work is directly related to my ability to sit with myself through uncomfortable feelings.

If I can’t do this, I end up:

• Not asking for help

• Avoiding conflict (and, thus, solution)

• Taking on tasks I’m neither good at or fulfilled by

This doesn’t just hurt me -- it hurts the whole team.

While it’s ok to make mistakes and be imperfect, there’s no need to continue living life stuck in the maladaptive habit patterns.

You’re capable of consistency – and it happens quite easily the moment you stop self sabotaging.

3 Simple Things to Feel 1000x Better

Before I tell you exactly how to discover your PB, take a look at these key benefits of doing the work to discover it:

1. Increased Productivity: By zeroing in on what you do best, you can work more efficiently and effectively, achieving better results with less effort.

2. Enhanced Satisfaction: Engaging in activities that align with your PB brings a deep sense of satisfaction and fulfillment, making your work and life more enjoyable.

3. Greater Impact: Operating within your PB allows you to make a significant positive impact on those around you, as your work resonates more deeply with others.

If there were 1-3 things you could do differently that would have an accumulative effect of making your life 1000x better… would you do them?

If your answer is yes, keep reading.

I’m Doing Exactly This (Right Now) to Make my Life 1000x Better

1. Reveal how you really spend your time.

This is going to take 20-60 minutes, but it’s worth it.

Make a list of ALL the things that you did last week, both personally and professionally.

Then label each task as one of the following:

1. PB: Personal blessing – the thing you enjoy doing, are excellent at, and feel energized after doing.

2. QC: Qualified Capability – you’re really good at it and people know it, but you’re not super passionate about it.

3. MR: Mediocre Reliability – you can do it and you enjoy it, but others can do it much better and faster than you.

4. BS: Bull Shit – you’d be fooling yourself if you thought you were good at it, or that others can’t do it much better than you. Plus, it drains all your energy.

What percentage of your time are you spending on each type of task?

Here are my results:

1. PB: Personal blessing – 30%

2. QC: Qualified Capability – 15%

3. MR: Mediocre Reliability – 30%

4. BS: Bull Shit – 25%

No wonder I was feeling out-of-sorts.

2. Research and record what things are bringing you joy and fulfillment and why.

If you skipped the above exercise due to time constraints, don’t miss this one. It’s a quickie.

Here’s a sneak peak at my notes:

1. Leadership Advisory in-person conversation with DP. Why? Believing in someone that is interested in growth is fun, I love reflecting their potential onto them and helping them clarify what they need to do next.

2. Hosting Mocktail Hour with RP. Why? Being there to take pictures and get curious about people's feedback. Edify and support RP in her element. Seeing people connect and giving them a beautiful experience is so valuable.

3. Being prepared to meet with BB and walk him through updates on the project, and help him “manage up” his boss. Why? I felt really helpful and of service, providing assurance and creating a trusting, positive working relationship with him. I brought him peace of mind in a time when his world feels chaotic. It felt like I really made a difference beyond “doing the work” because I was of service to his goals as a human, not just the goals of the company.

Now is the perfect time for you to reflect on your previous week of experiences.

What did you enjoy doing?

What left you feeling energized afterward?

Why?

Another fun, easy way to get insights is to ask the people who know you best, “What have you witnessed me do that you see brings me fulfillment and energy, and that you believe I’m naturally good at?”

My friend gave me a really interesting answer. He said, “Listening.” 

I thought that was beautiful.

3. Review your insights with people who can help you.

I’m reviewing these insights with my team. 

I’ve asked for help in determining what future tasks I should say yes to and should say no to, based on what my job is today and what I want it to be ideally in the future.

I know not everyone has a supportive teammates or works for a company that empowers their employees to be entrepreneurial, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be the CEO of your own life.

Advocate for yourself.

“I’ve taken quiet, calm time to do valuable personal development work and I’d love to share my insights with you!”

“I’ve discovered that I’m personally blessed with joy and fulfillment, and am of the highest value and service to others, when I do X,Y, and Z.” 

“Can you help me understand what jobs, tasks, or projects are available at this company that can help me do more of these things that I love and am good at?”

This is not selfish, it’s self-assured.

Working with my HR coworker, we’re identifying that Leadership Advisory and relationship building is where I thrive. With actionable efforts from both of us, I’m moving more and more in that direction.

Keep it Simple, Smartie

Struggling to feel fulfilled? Try this:

1. Reveal: use assessment tools to uncover how you spend your time

2. Research: try different things and take note of what brings you joy and energy

3. Review: ask trusted advisors to share what they think are  your greatest strengths

Your personal blessing is the key to fulfillment.

May you get to experience the delightful joy of discovering it.

I hope this helps.

Jenna Lou