Do you ever stop to think about the person you’ve become... your self-identity? HR consultant and coach Olivia Rowan holds our hand as we get up close with who we truly are. Our identity changes as we move through our life stages and there are so many influences impacting on it which we may not even realize. We're busy being parents, partners, children, pet owners, siblings, cousins, friends, managers, business owners, supervisors, coworkers, mentors, team members, etc, etc…! Days, months, and years pass so quickly and we can very easily get absorbed into playing these roles according to other people’s demands, needs, rules, and ideals. But what about our own needs and who we have become? Is this who we really want to be? Is it time to pause and ask ourselves:
  • Who am I?
  • How did I get here?
  • Is this really the person I want to be?
  • Is my identity aligned with my values and life goals?
  • Do I even have goals and know what’s really important to me?
  • What do I really want?
After contemplating these questions you might ask yourself: Have I become a bit lost while going through this journey of life? If this is the case, rest assured you're not alone, and there's something you can do about it. Don’t worry – doing something about it doesn’t need to be as drastic as stopping playing a certain role (or roles!), but, rather, you can re-define these roles you play within terms that are more aligned with your values and goals. It’s you taking control of your life and being the person you want to be! A good starting point is to think about what is really important to you and what you really want in life – in your relationships, health, career, finances, and personal development. Don’t think about these in the context of your current roles, what others expect, or what you may think is or isn’t possible. Think big picture and aim high. Be bold! Where to now, you ask? First of all, identify opportunities where you can set yourself some goals that will enable you to achieve what you really want in life. It could be goals related to focusing on returning to work, or a new career path, or launching your own business, or some fitness and health goals, or even some financial goals to set you and your family up for the future. Then think about each of the roles you play and determine where you may need to make some modifications to these roles so you can achieve your goals and be the person you want to be while still being an amazing parent, child, partner, friend, etc. Create the identity for yourself that you deserve so you can live your best life. You can do this! Written by Olivia Rowan. Olivia is the founder of OLR Coaching. OLR Coaching loves helping people to live their best lives. OLR supports people to get clarity on their self-identity, to determine what is really important to them and set powerful goals that are aligned with their life vision, to make career changes; and assists with self-management strategies such as time management, reducing their stress and habit busting. They work with people through personal coaching and workshops. For more information and to connect with OLR visit their website and Instagram page.