Is there a tantalizing idea for your life or work that’s been hovering in the back of your mind but you’ve dismissed as too unrealistic or bizarre?
Somehow this thing has always called to you but you’ve pushed it away to pursue other more “important” or “realistic” goals and dreams.
This is the perfect time to invite this backstage idea on to the main stage of your life and explore it.
After the upheaval of the pandemic, 2021 is a huge year of transition on both a business and personal level as we try to figure out what the “new normal” looks like.
Despite the uncertainty, this is a season of great creativity when many exciting new possibilities for living and working will emerge. There has never been a better time to explore that intriguing concept that’s been waiting in the wings.
In a way, the extraordinary disruption of the pandemic has given you permission to explore ideas that in “normal” times might have seemed too outlandish.
What might this backstage idea look like? It could be related to a hobby, a business that you imagine launching, a lifelong passion, a cause you support or a topic that captivates you.
Starting to investigate that idea doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll implement that exact concept. Rather, the value of exploration is that it opens your mind to think outside the box and also offers valuable clues to other paths to investigate.
Years ago, when I was practicing law, I often daydreamed about opening a boutique that focused on helping women select clothing that complemented their skin tone and hair color. At the time, there were consultants who helped women discover their most flattering color palette and I had found my color consultation to be extremely helpful in shopping for clothes. I imagined that it might be fun to open a store that helped women build their wardrobes based on their most flattering shades.
Upon further reflection, I realized that what intrigued me about this idea was the freedom of being my own boss. And since my volunteer work centered on empowering women, I loved the idea of boosting women’s confidence by helping them look their best. Moreover, after over ten years of legal practice and juggling work and family life, I welcomed the idea of doing something fun for a living.
As I continued to explore, I realized this business would require a substantial initial investment. Additionally a brick and mortar store would require staffing during business hours by me or employees. Accordingly, I dismissed the concept of opening a boutique as just a daydream that couldn’t happen.
Several years later, when the idea of starting a Mary Kay business was presented to me, despite my initial skepticism, I slowly recognized that it aligned in several ways with my dream business. It focused on helping women look their best, allowed me to be an entrepreneur and was based on empowering women to live their best lives.
Although it was a big leap out of my comfort zone, I decided to invite that backstage idea on to the main stage of my life by exploring the business. I test drove the idea by becoming an independent Mary Kay consultant while continuing to work my day job as a lawyer.
Ten months later, I left the law behind and reinvented myself as an entrepreneur with Mary Kay Cosmetics. This started a wonderful journey of self- discovery and leadership that changed and enriched my life in countless ways.
That first career makeover led to several additional reinventions. Today, as a Coach and Reinvention Strategist, I guide women on their own reinvention journeys so they too, can enjoy the meaningful success that I’ve experienced.
How about you?
Do you have a backstage idea? If so, take the time to journal about it. What attracts you to this idea? What don’t you find appealing about it? This process can offer valuable clues for discerning your next path and give you the insight to recognize what could be a life changing opportunity when it’s offered to you.
On any given day, in any given moment, something could happen that opens up for you an entirely new path. Be still, be alert, be ready. Marianne Williamson
