Our whole self
So much of who we are shows up as what we do well or what we need to do for a specific task. We lean hard into our work, our play, our families, our responsibilities, and our goals. Often, in those moments, we show only one dimension of who we are. The worker. The parent. The friend. The athlete. The leader. The helper. The person who gets things done. We focus on being better. We focus on showing up as needed, as expected, as the moment requires. And there is a lot of good in that. It matters to be capable. It matters to be reliable. But there is also a great depth to who we are. It is good for us to remember to bring our whole self to our life. The self that is thoughtful and curious. The self that wants to laugh and chat. The self that needs time alone and wants to be in a crowd. The self that can be serious and silly, focused and playful, strong and tender, ambitious and grateful. The self that is still learning, still becoming, still discovering what is possible. The whole us. That is where life gets richer. That is where we move from being led around by expectation to leading ourselves with intention. That is where we stop shrinking ourselves into one role and start living as the full version of who we are. When we bring our whole self forward, we bring more care to our work, more presence to our relationships, more creativity to our challenges, and more joy to our days. Less concerned with fitting the moment and more committed to meeting it fully. So, let’s make sure to keep the whole of who we are present and ready. Let’s bring all of ourselves to the work, the people, the quiet moments, the hard things, and the beautiful ones, too. This wonderful life we get to live deserves the whole of us. And so do we.
Loving life as my whole self
Joe

















