Taking My Own Medicine

This week I have learned to take my own medicine.

I’ve spent the last five years building communities and curricula that have transformed the lives of hundreds of women. Now the time has come to evolve the way we deliver our program. I am truly excited about this, and I’m working to transform our practice into something even more powerful and rewarding to sustain and strengthen us in 2021. Watch this space! 

But change is never easy. I talk with so many of you about managing transitions, stepping outside your comfort zones, and embracing the opportunities presented within transformation. It's time for me to walk my talk.

So I did what I counsel so many of you to do: I simply had coffee with a trusted friend who is an expert in the field of business evolution and growth.

One hour and one flat white shifted my perception of this change from being big and overwhelming to a series of bite-sized tasks I could manage. Why was this such a successful coffee, and how can you replicate this experience for yourself?

1) Find the right expert, and ask for help. You'll need someone with extensive experience in the field in which you're struggling. Asking for help can feel daunting. I highly recommend simply biting the bullet and saying: 'I need your help.' 

2) Make it a valuable hour. Know your objectives going into the conversation, and allow yourself to be vulnerable and share what is really blocking you from moving forward. For example, I made myself admit to a major impostor syndrome issue that is standing in my way. Saying it out loud helped me step over that particular hurdle.

3) Offer your help in return. What can you do to help your expert friend? Even if you can't find anything tangible you can do for her, your expert friend will appreciate the thought.

4) Follow up and record your learning. Follow through with whatever nuggets of inspiration or bits of advice you've been given, and then record your learning so you can build upon it in the future. For help with recording your learning and how to reframe your thinking to build resilience, check out this blog post.

Lara Holliday is the Founder + CEO of Tide Risers