Aspirations

We all have aspirations. I have started my 101 item Bucket list full of things I aspire to do.

What about who we aspire to BE?

I have just returned home from our annual HSA/Learning Community Gathering which is always so very inspirational and includes leaders and followers from various countries. We talked a lot about aspirations this year.  I have very much admired Helen Sanderson (the UK CEO of HSA) since I first got to meet her via social media. Julie Malette (HSA Canada lead) is also a woman I very much admire, not to mention many other associates. These two ladies particularly have a presence about them, a sense of strong mindfulness, a  level of conscious awareness that I covet.

Now covet is a strong word, much stronger than admire and that is a realization that I came to during this week together. Since I have known these amazing women I have aspired to BE them. I wanted to be the person who leads an international or national organization in person centred practices. I wanted to be the person who has led so many people on such inspirational journeys and introduced brilliant work to the world. I coveted their success superior to admiring their qualities.

This year it felt different. I didn't want to BE them I wanted to BE WITH them. I wanted to enjoy their presence, learn from them and share learning with them.

My journey of self awareness, mindfulness and conscious awareness continues and will never end and I recognized the movement I have made through the past year. I no longer covet what they have, I admire who they are and what they contribute to my work and personal life. I dont want to BE them. I want to BE MY BEST ME!

I aspire to be Barb Swartz-Biscaro, the best woman I can be acknowledging my faults, quirks, failures, lessons, successes and qualities along the way. The woman who does the best work she can in the areas of her interest. The woman who is the best she can be for her family. I dont need to be internationally known or respected, I need to be introspect-fully known and respected. I aspire to be ME.

It wasn't a waste of time to covet these women. I learned a lot about the qualities I want to emulate as a successful woman. I aspire to strengthen some of those same qualities to be the best me.

I can't be Helen Sanderson or Julie Malette, they already have those titles and carry them very well. I can only be Barb Swartz-Biscaro.

It is pointless to aspire to BE someone else, find the qualities you find admirable in the people you covet. Do your best to be your best YOU, that's your only choice. You were given one title in life what do you aspire to do with it?