Secret 8: Selecting Empowering Partnerships and Alliances

In the next chapter of "The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women" by Gail McMeekin, Gail talks about selecting a dream team to help reach our goals. What timing! As I'm taking my dream from concept to reality I realize that I need help. In this chapter, Gail is giving me permission to select my dream team. I'm happy to think that I need help - it takes the burden off me to know everything and I love collaborating with others. I learn so much from hearing other people's perspectives.

This has been a week of many breakthroughs!

When I was a young girl and young adult, I feared asking for help. I also feared criticism. For some reason I thought I had to do everything on my own or else I might be seen as inadequate. As I've grown I realized that it is impossible to know everything. The more I learn the more I realize how much I don't know. I am no longer afraid to ask for help. I have confidence in the talents and skills that I bring to the table and I'm finding that my willingness to share invites those around me to do the same.

By asking for help I need to be open for criticism.

This has been a fantastic and pivotal week for me. A big project that I am working on is taking shape. For the first time in my life I can say with clarity and a strong vision what I want to do for a living. I feel as if I now know my life's purpose. My first project is in the works, it is a project that will pave the way for making my dreams come true.

I took a risk sharing my dream project with my parents. As a child of an engineer (aka professional perfectionist and ultimate critic) I had the experience of seeing the flaws not the strengths in my work If I came home with a report card of all A's and one B, the focus was always on what happened and what could I do to bring up the B. The A's were always overshadowed by the B and I felt like I was never enough and certainly far from being "good" enough. As you can imagine, sharing my dream with my dad, even at the age of 40, was very difficult. To my surprise my dad is intrigued with my concept and even helpful with suggestions and questions. Wow! I see that we are connecting now because I have changed -- I'm open to hear from him and I don't feel defensive when I hear his comments. I feel like I'm exploring the possibilities when my friends, colleagues and even my dad weigh in.

It all goes back to my initial premise - I don't know it all and this is okay.

I shared my dream this week with many people: my mother, my long-time best friend Bobbi, colleagues at the office, I even sent a copy of my proposal to my ex-husband who I know will "get" the project and have wonderful insights to share. Taking the risk of reaching and being open has rewards beyond what I could have imagined.

I'm excited about my future and amazed at how I'm growing and changing along the way.

Related Links Not to Miss:
"12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women" by Gail McMeekin
The Next Chapter Blog Book Group with Jamie Ridler

Note: I made the vision board above after writing this blog entry in my journal. The little blonde represents me as a young girl and the blonde woman to the right represents me today. Notice I have my book and pen in hand and that smile shows just how much fun I am having. The fathers and daughters represent my relationship with my own dad. I feel very lucky to have my dad in my life. It is wonderful to have him be a part of my project.

Comments

[melissa]

hi kathyrn
i am so excited for you and so inspired by your journey and how you share it.
absoultely wonderful!
melissa

[~Barb~]

Isn't it amazing the things we still have the capacity to learn, even as we are adults? Awesome revelations this week. I'm enjoying following along in your journey with you. It's very enlightening.
Peace & Love,
~Barb~

[Cyndee Greene]

It is amazing how similar our journies are at this time. To hear your story about coming home w/ a B...mine was an A-. I didn't get upset w/ my parents...I just raised the bar for myself.
I am now reconnecting to my dad also. He is no longer alive. But I have met w/ a medium twice & the experience has been incredible. This last time (on Jan 2), my dad said he would help me w/ what I am about to do. Tim actually describe my dad perfectly. Even better than what I would have. A week & a half ago, as a friend & I were driving away from an incredible event, I felt my dad in a way that I never got to in real life. There was much that transpired that night that was in support of my dream of working w/ foster kids & I knew it was my dad.
It's powerful to hear you getting to have this experience w/ your dad. And in a strange way, again, I feel it is my dad reminding me that he is here & supporting me in manifesting this big dream of mine...
I also absolutely relate to the part about asking for help. It has never been okay for me to need any help, so I just bucked up & did it on my own. Now I know I can't move into this dream w/o help. So I am opening myself again & choosing different people that have the capacity to be collaborative. Thank you for reminding me of that word. To truly discover that that is the quality that I am looking for.
I'm excited to watch this unfold for both of us!

[3rdEyeMuse]

your enthusiasm is contagious!! woohooo & GO YOU!!

[Snap]

Great post, Kathryn.

I wish my dad was still around to talk to. You are lucky and isn't nice that we grow up and can talk with our *tribe* -- whoever that may be!

Hugs--

[Caroline]

What a wonderful collage to go with fabulous support all round.

It sounds like its been a pivotal week for you.

[D]

Got after it! I am so excited for you. There is nothing so powerful and wonderful feeling as taking a risk and seeing what happens.

Good luck!

[Shell]

Beautiful collage. I'm glad that you were able to open up and share your project dreams with your family especially your father.
I was an only child growing up, so I think I learned how to handle things myself early on. As I gotten older, I do ask for help a lot more. What I find is people love to help and be needed.

[Sara]

You are really going for it. It is so very uplifting to see some one reach for their dreams. These are wonderful revelations and I am grateful to have them as points of reference for my own journey. Thank you Kathryn.

ps. I am using a new addy. It's saramoriarty@gmail.com

[Anne Gaal]

Hi, Kathryn! Very interesting post. I think I'm learning how to be open to and ask for help, where I wouldn't before. And I am learning to really listen to constructive criticism, and not just hear noise. Thanks for the moment of reflection! :-)

[leah]

oo, I'm so excited for your and your future vision, kathryn!!

[inge]

Am I the only one who's curious of your dreamproject ? ( or did I miss something in the past ?)

a curious blog friend..
Inge