Here’s my guess: no matter what you’re aspiring to or choosing to create, you want to experience freedom and joy. Is this true? 

I don’t think anyone takes on anything wanting to feel constrained and unhappy! And yet, this can happen. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of having unreasonable expectations of ourselves or others, which can lead to feelings of disappointment, a lack of fulfillment, or anxiety because we’re not “living up to our potential.” Ugh!

This certainly can be true when we choose to speak and lead. We might expect ourselves to show up as the expert who is confident, knowledgeable, and in control . . . all the time. That’s certainly been one of my traps. 

In the work I do with Positive Intelligence®, we call that the hyper-achiever saboteur. This hyper-achiever saboteur voice insists on perfection. It says, if you can’t do something perfectly, don’t even think about stepping into the arena. This voice insists you are only as valuable or worthy as your latest achievement, or as I like to put it, it asks, what have you done for me lately? It’s exhausting. It can prevent you from sharing your incredible gifts. The good news is that’s not the truth, and you don’t have to succumb to that. 

I particularly can feel this when I sing in public. OMG! My hyper-achiever saboteur insists I hit every note perfectly or don’t even bother to show up. This is not reasonable, but that doesn’t stop that saboteur from abusing me with that notion. 

Fortunately, I’ve learned some tools to deal with that nasty voice and experience more freedom and joy when I sing, regardless of whether or not I hit every note perfectly. This allows me to experience and share my love of music and engage my audiences more powerfully. I get to be okay with me, no matter what!

Feeling that freedom to express authentically and fully is joyful! What I’ve come to understand is when you model that for your audience or your team, you invite them to see that it’s possible for them too. You can be the inspiring messenger. Here are a few tips to do just that:

  1. Do your part. Learn how to engage the calm, empathetic, positive part of your brain so you can show up authentically.
  1. Bring a positive tone. Reflect on what you love about what you’re sharing. Why is it important? What do you want your audience or team to know, be, feel, do or remember? How will your message and content benefit their lives and create a sense of optimism? 
  1. Share an uplifting message or story. We are all meaning-making beings and we do that through story. Amplify your message with stories and vivid imagery to help them visualize and connect with it on an emotional level. This can be a powerful way to create a lasting impact and inspire action.
  1. Use humor. Humor is a powerful tool for breaking the ice and creating a connection with your audience. Use amusing anecdotes to create levity and playfulness. We all love to laugh!
  1. Ask questions. Sometimes we assume we know what our audience or team needs. We think we know what they’re thinking. Chances are we would be surprised if we asked! Invite them to share their thoughts. Include interactive activities so they can explore their answers with others. This can help create a sense of community and involvement and lead to some amazing insights.
  1. Share personal experiences. Be authentic, transparent, and vulnerable by sharing your own struggles and triumphs and how they relate to your message. Speak from your heart. This creates trust, credibility, and believability.
  1. End your time together with an inspiring message and call to action. Give them the chance to experience freedom and joy in their lives through your message and your example! This is a priceless gift you will be remembered for long after your time together. 

So, my question for you is, are you ready to experience more freedom and joy? I’d love to support you. If you’d like to explore this, please contact me at Andrea@AndreaBeaulieu.com.