If you could share one, simple, clear, fundamental message with the world, what would it be? What one, simple sentence would say it all? Better still, just one word.
Simplifying, stripping down, and clarifying the essence of who I am and why I’m here has been a recurring theme in my life. Every couple of years, there seems to be a new “stripping away” – another layer to explore, a deeper clarification of what my life is truly about.
Back in the late 1990s, I spent a good deal of time uncovering my soul mission: “I liberate and empower.” I recognized then that the underlying fuel and passion in both my personal and professional life is helping people set themselves free from whatever holds them back and then helping them empower themselves to live the life they feel called to live. It was the process of discovering my own fundamental reason for being that led me to write my second book, Soul Mission * Life Vision.
Having turned sixty back in April, this summer I’ve been listening for guidance on what wants to happen in the next decade of my life and work. The guidance first came in the form of a question: What is your core message?
At first thought, “core message” and “soul mission” seemed like they were the same thing. Yet as I reflected on the possibility that maybe they were indeed two different things, a distinction became clear.
Soul mission is life purpose – why you’re here. You’re born with it, and in my experience, most people’s soul mission tends to stay the same throughout their lives. Their understanding of it, and, therefore, the words they use to articulate it, may evolve over time, yet the energetic essence of the mission remains the same.
Core message, as I am now understanding it, is a primary expression of your soul mission at any particular time. It’s the message that you want people to get from how you live – from how you “show up” to life, from how you engage with people and circumstances, and from the ways in which you make choices and decisions. Unlike your soul mission, your core message may change as you go through your life. As the years go on, you will find new expressions of your soul mission and, therefore, the message you feel called to share may also change.
As a result of my discernment process in coming to this distinction, I reaffirmed that my soul mission remains, “I liberate and empower.” In fact, it feels more potent within me than ever. Yet this process has also given me a clearer understanding of how my soul mission wants to be expressed at this stage of my life.
So my response to “What is your core message?” is, “Keep expanding your awareness of the interactive nature of everything.”
Stripping it down even further to just one word, my core message becomes simply “awareness.”
Looking back, I realize that this has been my core message for a long time. I just hadn’t articulated it so clearly. Having come to that simple word is helping me streamline the focus of my life and work even more. When we continue to expand and evolve our capacities for awareness, we continue to grow and serve a greater good.
I am blessed to work with leaders, coaches, and people all over the world who are committed to service and making the world a better place for us all. Time and again, I see that as they grow in awareness and understanding of the interconnectedness of everything and the interactive nature of life, they make choices and take actions in service of something bigger than themselves. Their hearts open wider, they see a bigger picture, they act from a higher awareness, and they make a significant difference in the world around them.
So how about you? What is the core message of your life these days? What message do you want people to get simply by how you move through each day, do your work, and engage in relationship with others?
P.S. If you would like some help in uncovering your soul mission and/or clarifying your core message, we can help you take your next steps. We offer support on many levels, from free resources to audio learning programs to intensive workshops and trainings to one-on-one personal coaching. Visit our website to learn more.
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