Leveling up is the essence of continuous personal and professional improvement. By leveraging goal setting, taking action, and consistent persistence in the pursuit of those goals we can increase confidence, broaden our horizons, and achieve greater success in all aspects of our lives.
Doesn’t that sound great??? Having a chronic condition can make leveling up seem impossible, or a dream better left for the healthy. You want me to level up while my body is attacking itself, angry and inflamed??? Well, to answer that simply – Yes. Now is the exact time to level up, level up your, your knowledge, your wellness goals, your goal setting. You can do this, you can have the life you want. All it takes is commitment.
How I started
I’ve been leveling up for most of my life. If I were doing version control I’d likely be at at v. 25.0 at this point. I’ve been climbing the corporate ladder since I was 21, starting out making Xerox copies and stapling tearsheets to advertising invoices and making a path for myself that lead to me to a COO role in the FinTech world. I did this by consistently increasing my competency in areas such as team development, communication, and corporate finance. This helped to position me as a valuable asset to the organizations I’ve worked with.
From a personal standpoint, I’ve worked hard on building connections within my community. When I was a single mom in college back in the early 2000’s, I remember writing a paper on the Gilmore Girls highlighting the strong bond between mother and daughter, and how to community became an extended family for both of them. I recall envisioning what it would be like to live in Stars Hollow – how happy I would be to have access to the quintessential New England Village everything it had to offer. Mainstreet America with it’s quaint local post office, Mom and Pop stores, a local independent bookstore, where you could walk down the street and everyone knows your name. I wanted it all. It took what my mom used to term a lot of “elbow grease” to have this vision realized, but I actually did it and I am proud for having made it.
Granted it wasn’t easy. Moving from NYC in 2021 to Madison, Connecticut; a close parallel of “Stars Hollow” was a big change for us. I knew I had to prioritize making connections. This required a well thought out strategy, a vision that could be executed on. Through careful planning and execution I’m proud to say that my family has integrated well into this new life and we’re forging new relationships that we find personally fulfilling.
Yay us! It wasn’t easy, and there were a lot of complaints from the introverts in my family. Was I met with resistance – hell yes! Did I have to drag them to potluck dinners, bingo nights, and community events along the way – absolutely! How do they feel about that now, well – while they might hesitate to admit it they are absolutely happier for it. My Stars Hollow journey is 15 months in, and I am absolutely in love with our life. To congratulate myself on the anniversary of our move back in December I purchased Gilmore Girls: The Official Cookbook Hardcover. If you are a Gilmore Girls fan this is an absolute must to add to your collection.
Personal Toolkit
What I have found through this journey is that having your own version of an essential toolkit is critical to moving forward. I intend to share what makes up mine throughout this journey with you in the hopes that you adopt what works for you, and gain inspiration to form your own custom version.
I’ll start by sharing one the earliest tools I tapped into, that being music. I’ve always been passionate about music, it’s helped me though some of the darkest hours and helped to inspire me to push on past that darkness and into the light. This song, written by Vienna Teng is a prime example. I listen to this song whenever I need that extra little push to get me moving, to help me recommit to what matters.
I hope it helps you too.
I’ve reached a point in my growth where the next and best path forward is to turn outwards, and help individuals like myself develop their skills, knowledge, and mindset to achieve their own goals and reach their fullest potential.
The How
Here’s where we dive into the how. How exactly do you level up? I’m using the follow techniques with my clients to help them achieve their professional and personal goals:
- Helping individuals with chronic conditions set clearly defined goals: (Think AIM SMART) I’m helping individuals set clear and specific goals. This will help them focus their efforts and measure progress towards their desired outcomes.
- Develop personalized action plans: I’m working with individuals to develop personalized action plans that outline the steps they need to take to achieve their goals. This will help them stay motivated and on track towards their desired outcomes.
- Identify strengths and weaknesses: Help individuals identify their strengths and weaknesses so they can leverage their strengths and improve on their weaknesses. This will help them build confidence and overcome obstacles.
- Provide constructive feedback: Provide constructive feedback to individuals to help them improve their skills and knowledge. This will help them gain insights and make course corrections when necessary.
- Use accountability strategies: Use accountability strategies to help individuals stay focused and committed to their goals. This could include regular check-ins, progress tracking, or other methods to keep individuals motivated and accountable.
- Offer support and encouragement: Offer support and encouragement to individuals as they work towards their goals. This will help them stay motivated and overcome challenges that may arise along the way.
It’s time to LEVEL UP!
My focus on leveling up coaching is to offer a powerful way to help individuals reach their fullest potential. I tailor my coaching to fit each individual’s needs so that they can achieve their goals and thrive in their personal and professional lives.
I’m excited to share my story with you, and to help guide you on your own journey. It’s time to LEVEL UP!