THE AMBER WEITZER PODCAST SILHOUETTES OF SUCCESS
AMBER WEITZER | EPISODE 32 | SHOW NOTES
So, what do you want to be when you grow up? We have all heard that question, in fact some of us still might not be able to answer it!
Recently a friend challenged me to think back to my 12-year-old self for a project and the homework teasers read something like this…
What did I want to do at that age?
What did I want to be when I grew up?
This was going to take some serious negotiating with myself to want to sit down and reflect backwards. You see there are some bumps and bruises in the rearview…so…
After sifting through a mixture of emotions followed with a sudden curiosity, so I decided to go for it. Own it, it’s all a part of the woman I am today.
I began with photo’s albums, boxes and bins of photographs that I have yet to place in the albums. It’s been so many, many years of running at such a fast pace that I really have not thought about so many of these memories within the framework of my homework assignment.
As I found certain photos of course it brought back to the forefront many of those 12-year-old little girl dreams…veterinarian, fashion designer, teacher, librarian, store owner, actress, dancer, cowgirl, trapeze artist of course playing real estate in the basement of my fathers’ office…and all of the sudden I am challenged with sorting out that cluster of wide eyed dreams of seemingly unassociated occupations or ideas to pinpoint one. Seriously, one? Yikes.
To this day, I don’t think I have ever truly stopped to review or reflect in the rear-view mirror to decipher such a drilled down question. I honestly have never thought about it, with that frame of mind. Once again..Thank you, Claudia…I think, I hope!
When I have been asked in the past this same type of question, my instinctive recollections didn’t feel positive. I’m also confident that I knew I didn’t have an answer and would feel foolish and judged.
This has now saddened me in the present, why am I holding onto this heavy weight? What gives?
I always felt like I didn’t recall having dreams or a vision of my future.
I wasn’t goal oriented or disciplined in planning, I didn’t have a direction, roadmap or really dreams to pursue. Then in early adulthood, because of my choices and decisions (of course owning that now!)-sometimes it was more of a survival mode or times that making it rather difficult for myself and my family. Again, not the time period for rosy reflecting or being in a mindset to afford the luxury of a dreaming.
Some know early on what they want and who they will be. For others, it’s a long road of self-discovery…I am raising my hand on the latter!
If you asked me today, I don’t have a one-word reply, a formal title or even snappy elevator pitch to throw your way. I tried that, and it just doesn’t work for me, it’s not genuine. Sure, I am a salesperson but I’m not that salesperson.
I will tell you that I’m not lost, but I’m definitely not found either! And that’s okay by me…I’m just getting started! How about you?
After sifting through so many of the older tattered photo albums I did see two trends: a lot of smiling and me marching to my own beat. So, for instance, one of my favorite photos is of me riding on my hobby horses, but no not in the saddle but on his head…once again doing it my way. My own style, my independence, my way! If you don’t try it, go for it, fight for it…you might end up with resent or sadness that you let it go. By the way, if YOU don’t do it…someone else will!
So the gift of looking back helped me to see that I might not have known then or yet now, my true calling in a one word answer, official resume style Title or catchy profile headline but what I do know for a fact is what I have learned along the way about myself, about life and some common golden threads woven within all of those dreamy childhood aspirations it has formed the shaping of my Silhouette of Success and I am all of them!
Think about your childhood dreams and get out your journal or keyboard and dig in! DO the homework assignment gift that was shared with my by Claudia and ask yourself: what did I want to do at that age…what did I want to be when I grew up, when you were 11 years -13 years of age what dreams did you have?
I know I am a super keen observer with street grit, a flair for the fancy shopping from Goodwill to Neiman Marcus with a lot of Burlington Coat Factory mixed in between, I enjoy connecting people, thrive on watching them succeed from backstage, I can fly high in the face of adversity wearing stilettos, inefficiency is like nails on the chalkboard, horses are my dream yet to come true for now I’ll sponsor, I negotiate with world class sophistication, proud of paying life’s tuition yet firm in my continued formal education-this is paramount, versatility comes naturally to me, I’m confident in my roles and lessons learned yet humble in all of life’s opportunities. So, yes, I guess I became a veterinarian, fashion designer, teacher, librarian, store owner, actress, dancer, cowgirl, trapeze artist of course real estate agent.
I know that I’m a hard worker, a fighter with fierce passion for those in my world and what I believe in (mess with the bull, get the horns type of thing). I have realized that I must do it and do it my way to see it through to the end…failure or success. I own it all equally.
If I pulled out my journals to search through the passages of all the times, I captured quotes or comments of the naysayers, there would be many. Maybe we all have that in common.
What I have found and decide to have a firm belief in-is that for the most part-they were either sharing out of fear for my possible future failures, perhaps a protective stance or their inability to appreciate my vision…either way it’s my goal, dream and vision…so I must press on. Note the feedback but press on.
It’s usually those closest to us that will push back or challenge the vision, that’s okay to a certain point! Sometimes it’s those we are aquatinted with that give unsolicited feedback or possible negative outcomes, that’s okay too…to a certain point!
I have been and will be “that” person as a mother, wife, sister, friend, co-worker… it’s sometimes an instinctive reaction, sometimes it’s out of jealousy or fear-I’m flawed…however, I hope that in those moments to catch myself (and shut it!) or when I do realize my faux paus…I reach out and try to make amends.
So, wrapping up today, the goal in sharing this with you today would be…encouraging you to Do It Your Way. Don’t look from the past to move forward into your future. We can always appreciate the wonders and whimsy of days gone by but we are who we are from our life experiences, choices made and living a life of integrity that we have thoughtfully chosen-that’s the good stuff. It’s fun to reflect on your youthful dreams, as they have helped to shape and illustrate your current goals and future dreams…but always move forward. You aren’t the same person you were as a youth, you won’t be the same person tomorrow that you were today.
Embrace you, all of you and begin to infuse al little more of that whimsy back into your life. I wish you tremendous, joyous success Silhouette….I’ll be right here, backstage cheering you on! The stage is yours, the spotlight is on…it’s GO TIME!
Share your thoughts, story or lessons learned with all us…it’s all about collaboration to help share intentional inspiration while we help to illuminate each other’s Silhouettes of Success!
