Back from travels and a recent reframing on being average

Hi there!

Did you make the most of the Labor Day public holiday to recharge?

If you did, I hope you had a fantastic time! Recently, I had the opportunity to visit China during the holidays, exploring both Shanghai and the charming town of Wuxi.

The experience was truly unforgettable. Here photos of the trip in case you need inspiration where to go next! 😀 

It was a great experience and more importantly, it was a useful reminder.

I forgot that our experiences make us unique

Do you ever find yourself wondering what makes you stand out from the crowd? I know I do.

It often feels like a niche I want to operate in has already been claimed by someone else. Or someone else is better positioned to do that job.

The feeling of being average

This made me feel very average these days. I know I am not alone.

We confirm our narratives with the external benchmarking exercises we do in our heads : salary reports, progression in titles and perceived amount of prestige tied to our jobs.

We end up asking ourselves: Have I led a life worth living?

The “different but good” reframing

How do we rise from this existential and crippling emotion?

What helped me was a simple prompt: “What have you done that you are really proud of?” It took time for me to come up with them.

I realized that I have made many “different but good” decisions in my life. If they are different, then the concept of average would be irrelevant.

I’m now using this reframing to guide the other parts of my life I feel average in. For example, the “different but good” in my career is: “I am not bothered with the progression in job titles as long as there is high impact in my work.”

Try the prompt and let me know your unique reframing for your proudest moments!

Stay Courageous,

Joping

Have you been putting off something and then hate the feeling of procrastination? I can help you:

👉 Clarify and strengthen your intentions

👉 Unpack what’s holding you back

👉 Stay accountable and supported on your action plan

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Joping is a Certified Self-Leadership Coach and a solopreneur in the making.