Stop keeping secrets
I hate to break it to you, but it needs to be said:
You are keeping secrets – from yourself.
How do I know?
Because I’ve been keeping secrets from myself, too.
Buried deep down inside, we all carry a hidden treasure trove of secrets.
Now I’m not talking about just any old secret (Prom Night 1999, ahem, you can sit this one out).
I’m specifically talking about the secret wishes you have for yourself and your life’s purpose.
The hopes and dreams you hold about your future success and achievements.
The bold and brave professional and personal milestones you yearn for.
Crucially, I’m not talking about the things that are easy for you to share or talk about. These are not secrets.
I’m talking about the wishes that you have trouble saying out loud.
The dreams that are so big they have you averting eye contact when asked about them, or avoiding the topic altogether.
The aspirations that are so buried deep inside you that you could almost pretend they’re not there at all.
(I mean, who has time to dream about a TED talk when they need to do another load of laundry and pick up the kids from school?)
I know you have them. I have them, too.
And what I’ve come to realize is that hiding these wishes, keeping them secret, leads to only one outcome: they won’t happen.
Hiding these dreams doesn’t mean they go away. Or that it doesn’t sting when we see other people achieve the things we secretly long for.
This is so obvious, and it’s also revolutionary.
For so long I have held onto secret wishes for my own personal and professional success. Accomplishments or milestones that, when I imagine them, make me feel alive and bring a huge smile to my face.
But, still, I’ve been hiding them. Because they feel too bold, too out there. Even saying them out loud to a trusted friend feels too declarative, too who-does-she-think-she-is? So I’ve kept them hidden.
You can imagine how unhelpful that’s been to my actually achieving these things!
I’ve reached a point where I am so ready to be honest about what’s really true for me – and I want that for you, too.
Just like in those old-timey crime shows on TV, where a detective would shine a light on a suspect in the interrogation room:
What if you shined a light on these secrets?
What if you investigated them – really stopped to get curious and pay attention to them – and decided that they really shouldn’t be hidden away?
Now I get it: what I’m suggesting is scary. Like, super scary.
WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND would intentionally expose their secret goals and dreams?!
After all, they matter to us – and we often want to protect the things that matter to us.
But here’s the catch:
We can’t actually achieve what we want if we can’t be honest with ourselves about our dreams and wishes.
What deep-down, super-important secret is calling out to you today?
Go grab that spotlight.
Onward,
PS: If you’re looking for a supportive space to share your secret wishes – and take intentional, aligned steps to achieve them – I’d love to talk with you about 1:1 coaching. I have two spots open for new clients in my coaching practice. Fill out this interest form and we’ll schedule a time for a totally un-salesy, informal conversation to explore if coaching is right for you.
