Quote from fridgesays

You may have material objects and things that bring you joy but do you have honesty?

I’m not talking about honesty with others, I’m not talking about superficial filters on photos or staying faithful in relationships…are you honest with yourself? Do you have integrity within yourself for yourself?

In the last few weeks I learnt an incredible lesson that if you align with what you really want there is love.

It began with a promotion at work. One that I looked upon with ‘want’ and it’s true, I do want promotion but this job sat in another team. I love my current team.

How many people in their forties can honestly say they love their job and every member of the team, over the years I’ve been in a lot of teams in my career who don’t always bring joy …I am truly grateful. I don’t want to leave them.

Anyway, I decided to go for this new promotion and was explaining to Mr F all of the awful reasons it’s not a great job with added sentences of positivity like ‘but I’ll be ok’ and ‘I’ll make it work’ and ‘…I’m sure it’ll work out’ and he said ‘ I don’t think you actually want this job’ and I was angry with him, for no independent woman wants to be told how she feels and he said ‘Are you excited by the role?’ And I didn’t respond. Instead I sat in honesty. Honesty isn’t always comfortable, it’s like a hard chair in a draft. But if you listen and accept honesty, you’ll find she has a cushion or two to lighten the experience…’No…I don’t think I do want this particular promotion’ I whispered from inside myself. Suddenly honestly wasn’t a hard chair, she softened with me and the draft became a warm glow and I reflected on what I did want.

Mr F and I had a cup of tea, ridiculously British but tea fixes all things. We discussed what I did want and as I gave into being honest with myself I felt extremely comfortable and at ease. I know what I want to achieve in 2025 both at work and for my wellbeing beyond the nine to five. As I placed my empty cup on the sideboard, I felt light, at ease and aligned with what I do want.

Since that epiphany, I have felt a warm glow of light surround me. I’ve instantly taken action where I can to align with what I want to achieve and I’ll let the universe work out the details on the rest. I feel loved. Not love for my career or even Mr F (although he’s ok) but love from myself to myself. In truth there is love. Sometimes, the world can tell us that the next step up the ladder is worth taking just because it’s a step higher. I’m here to tell you that there are many ladders in a range of sizes and colours. Not all ladders are born equal and not all ladders do the same job. A window cleaner can’t reach the top floor of a house with a set of kitchen steps and you don’t have to climb any ladder that doesn’t feel safe, after all that’s how we fall.

Instead as the year closes, take inventory of the ladders of your own life. If you have the skills and time to step up in the corporate world, do so. If the staircase at the centre of your home needs a little love, give time to your home life…sometimes we can get caught up playing an actual game of snakes and ladders as adults and the climb doesn’t always mean you win. Sometimes life rolls you a four and down the snake you tumble. We can’t always stop or see snakes approaching but we can decide to climb the ladders or just roll again. Rolling again is often a calmer, slower pace and it’s where I am aligned at present. Above all else, be honest with yourself. Spend time on the goals that serve you and those that are important to you, that’s truly where the love is.