How to Strut Your Spots With Pride

How to Strut Your Spots With Pride
By Andrea Williams

I invite you to consider the Eastern or Red-spotted Newt. Right now, they are in steady migration from the woods on one side of our driveway to the other side and down the hill to Beard Brook. They are determined critters; you can turn them any which way and they will still manage to right themselves in the correct direction, navigating any obstacle whether it be rock, piles of leaves, or other vegetation. They are on a mission to live out the full definition of their lives.

At a recent conference I attended, Kim George (one of the presenters and author of “Coaching Into Greatness: 4 Steps to Succeeding Business and Life”) discussed the “fallacy of becoming.” It has to do with all the self-talk we generate about not being ready to do this or that. Instead of taking action, we reinforce our uncertainty and trepidation about trying new things with distractions, activities, and plans to do “X” someday… when we’re “ready.”

We need to eliminate the barriers that keep us from doing what we can do. That is what coaching is all about: gaining clarity about what you want, developing strategy about how to get what you want, and then taking action to achieve what you want. Simple. Yet we often hold ourselves back, because we’ve conditioned ourselves to believe we’re not ready.

Newts have a fairly complicated life cycle. They begin their life as an aquatic juvenile and then grow into a 1 3/8 – 3 3/8 inch terrestrial juvenile called a red eft. Efts are brilliantly colored; generally orange-red, but sometimes dull red or orange. During the eft stage, they may travel far from their original location.

According to the Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management, “after several years, the eft stage migrates back to breeding sites and transforms into aquatic adults.” Talk about adapting to change.

These fascinating creatures evolve over the course of their lives, adapting to new circumstances and environment. Driven by instinct, the eft meets each new phase not knowing everything about what it is doing (or why), where it will end up, or what it will be on the other side. Yet, with each metamorphosis they begin anew to make their way in the world.

What I love best about Eastern newts is that they “thrive best in a muddy environment.” That sure sounds like life to me!

So, do you succumb to the “fallacy of becoming.” Or like the red eft, do you strike out boldly in this space and time? You already have everything you need to be fully who you are.

Andrea Williams, personal and small business success coach, is the creator of the Fearless, Fabulous Project, a 12-week, step-by-step discovery and rejuvenation process to help you gain clarity and commitment about what is most important to you. If you're ready to pump your life with more fun & fulfillment, check out Andrea's coaching programs and resources now at http://www.FearlessFabulousLife.com and sign up for “Fearless, Fabulous Female,” her free ezine on personal reinvention at midlife.

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