May I brag a bit? A lesson on celebrating the wins in life…

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Practicing the “Aunt Jan” Face

May I brag a bit???

I know, we are taught that this behavior is unbecoming, but when you really stop to think about, WHY?

WHY do we hesitate to celebrate our wins and accomplishments?

WHY do we intentionally try to dull our own light?

So in the spirit of sharing something that I am proud of, which in pondering this, led me to reflect on how I feel at this moment in time, which in turn, led me to a moment of vulnerability…

I PROMISE that I will tie all of this together and it will make sense.

My HOPE is that in sharing my thoughts, and lessons on this life that I am living, that you might see a bit of yourself and feel a bit more free

So here goes…

I was recently interviewed by Boston Voyager magazine for their “Inspiring Stories” section, profiling local business owners in various Boston area neighborhoods.

The publishing of this article came at an interesting point for me as I’ve been experiencing what I have privately called a “crisis of confidence.”  So to be profiled, and the subsequent support and love that I received after sharing this on my social media channels, gave me a real boost.  A moment to feel proud of what I’ve done.  A moment to bear witness to clients, friends, and family members share accolades of how GET LIVELY has helped them and how I am GOOD at my job and DESERVING of this feature.

WOW.  Okay, do you know how hard it was for me to just type that?  Never mind CAPS it?

Again, WHY?  Why wouldn’t I relish in the sharing of how my work has positively impacted the health and fitness of others?

I don’t know… maybe it’s that “crisis of confidence” thing that I just referenced… maybe deep down we are all afraid of succeeding because it means that we’ve raised the bar for ourselves?  Hmmm… I think I am on to something.

This morning I found myself with unplanned “free” time in my schedule.  And because the Universe ALWAYS knows that she is doing… she led me to pick up a different book during my morning meditation and I read about how we don’t spend enough time REFLECTING on our lives… we just hurry from one thing to the next and neglect taking a moment to really think about how we want to live our lives.

SO…. this of course led me to a long walk along the river, where I usually find myself when I can’t get out of my own way and need some divine intervention.  And as I walked and thought, and walked and thought, the thoughts in my head ping-pong’ed from feeling proud and accomplished, to feeling unglued, to feeling like I have no idea what to do next, to feeling like the path is not 100% clear (or even close) but I do have a sense of where I am going.

Allow me to try and summarize…

  • Reflecting on the last three years, since starting my business makes me smile
  • From the beginning where I would describe my new work to my sister as:
    “I’m working on about 20% skill and 80% Aunt Jan.”  (Aunt Jan has become not only what my nephews and family members call me, but has also become a bit of my persona.)
  • Three years later I feel that I’ve really developed a skill set and have a keen understanding as to how I can really help people.  So… now I’d say I’m working on 80% skill and, bear with my lack of percentages adding up, 100% Aunt Jan.
  • Being ME.  Being “Aunt Jan” is who I am.  And those who know me, know exactly what I mean by that.  My work allows me to be authentically me.  What a gift.

That said…

Oh boy, here it comes…

After having this proud moment of being acknowledged and reflecting on my own “Aunt Jan-ness,” I find myself back to a similar place that I was in the early summer of 2014.

You see…

  • In the beginning, I approached my business and my work with, let’s use a painting analogy, a power sprayer.  The strokes were broad and vast and I would basically do anything to get my business off the ground.  Okay, don’t let your mind wander… I mean that I would drive anywhere to train someone, take on basically any opportunity, and sometimes do things that really didn’t make the most sense in terms of growing my business.  But that’s what you do in the beginning.
  • Enter YEAR TWO.  Okay, now we’ve graduated to a paint roller.  We’ve got a bit more focus and control of where the paint goes.  This felt really good and served as a time to really help me hone my skills and develop confidence as a trainer and coach.
  • And now where we are today… approaching the end of my third year and realizing I now have a paint brush in my hand.  Not a small one… about the size you’d paint your house with, but infinitely more narrow than a sprayer or roller.

I promised that I would tie this all together… so here goes…

I’m embarking on another phase of growth in my business.  Reflecting on how – and who – I can best serve and ALSO reflecting upon what I WANT my life to be, as after all, we go into business for ourselves to be able to design our own path, right?

So that’s what I’m trying to figure out.  Where does GET LIVELY go from here?  Where do I focus?  What skills and experiences do I need to acquire to get there?

Maybe I’m back to riding on my “Aunt Jan-ness.”

But what I know to be true is that the timing of the “Meet Jan Taylor” article has buoyed me to the place where I have the confidence to charter my next path… and had I not shared it, had not given myself a moment to BRAG a little… not quite sure how today would have played it.

So in short…

  • Celebrate your accomplishments
  • Share them with others
  • Allow others the joy of sharing in your light
  • Reflect on where you were, where you are, where you are going
  • Understand that the journey keeps repeating itself – that is how we grow
  • Embrace your own personal version of “Aunt Jan-ness”

Thanks for reading…..

 

Comments

  1. Lisa

    You are very genuine in all that you do and feel. It is so very fun to work and play with you!

    1. Jan Taylor

      Thank you!! And right back at YOU, wonder twin!

  2. Erin

    What a timely blog, my friend. Thank you for sharing these amazing accomplishments – and congrats on being validated IN PRINT! Can’t wait to see Boston Voyager magazine.

    ~ Hugs

    1. Jan Taylor

      Thank you! I appreciated you taking the time to read and comment! xo

  3. Sarah Zengo

    Jan, I love this blog so much I can’t even stand it. You are so awesome. LOVE YOU!!!

    1. Jan Taylor

      It’s always the ones that scare me the most to post that resonate the most…. (and look! I just became a poet 😉
      XOXOXOXO

  4. Kath

    As I’ve said before, you should feel so proud of yourself when your head hits the pillow at night knowing that you are helping so many of us be our best selves. That’s a win every time! Congrats, Jan!

  5. As I’ve said before, you should feel so proud of yourself when your head hits the pillow at night knowing that you are helping so many of us be our best selves. That’s a win every time! Congrats, Jan!

    1. Jan Taylor

      Thank you so much, Kathy! It’s the gift of my life to help guide others to feel their best! xo

  6. Margie Childs

    Look, love and Lively Get,
    The BEST is really coming yet.
    Rely on us, as we rely on you,
    Keep formatting your plan.
    And never, ever, ever, ever,
    Stop being Aunt Jan!
    Love, love, love you…
    “Aunt Marge”

    1. Jan Taylor

      Deal and ditto, AUNT MARGE!!! Love you! 🙂

  7. Yes yes yes to all of this!! Thanks so much for sharing so openly. I really resonated with all of this.

    1. Jan Taylor

      That was my ultimate goal… that sharing my thoughts would be relatable to others and hopefully help us all breathe a collective sigh of relief. 🙂

  8. Terri roberts

    That was a great read, hit home for me. I know just want you mean with “aunt Jan” and man I love that person.

    1. Jan Taylor

      Thank you so much for reading, Terri. And I am so glad you could relate… exactly why I shared it… and the love is right back at you! xo

    1. Jan Taylor

      Thank you so much for reading and sharing this lovely sentiment. xo

  9. Jean

    So lovely for you to share so openly and honestly, Jan. You have honed your skills to the point of it looking easy and effortless. Your presentation and content is always beautiful, colorful and full of authentic Aunt Jan-ness! Your intent is so clear and genuine, that you really want to help people be their best, without preaching or judging, making it fun and exciting to make healthy changes. Celebrate everyday, every step of the way, what you have created and how that impacts others in a powerful way!
    I am grateful to have witnessed this path of yours from the start and am so proud of your determination and courage!
    XOXO Always a fan of Jan! 🙂
    Jean

    1. Jan Taylor

      Jean, you have warmed my heart! How grateful I am to YOU, my peer health coach from the very beginning, for continuing on this journey with me and supporting my work! MUCH love to you!!

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