Who do you admire?

I love this question.

Both asking it and answering it.

It gives such insight.

But I haven’t always loved it.

In the past I found it really hard to answer. I couldn’t think of people I admired without my inner critic getting very noisy.

It told me that everyone I thought about was too far away from where I was - completely out of reach.

I fell into compare and despair and couldn’t see why it was helpful.

Until I had an incredibly useful reframe - that what you admire in others shows you something that you already have in you.

It’s an insight into what you would like to have more of, or be more of.

It’s helpful information, not a stick to beat yourself up with.

Now when I think about who I admire I have many examples, including:

Women who write brilliant books that take me out of my day and open my eyes to seeing things differently.
Yoga teachers - with their depth of knowledge, their teaching skills, and the way they own their individual energy and style.
My sister, who has created a life in a different country, is now a teacher, and who plans adventures and experiences that create brilliant memories.
The people I work with, who show up for a journey of self discovery and take action to change their lives.

Reflecting on them shows me what I want more of in my life, and where I might want to expand and grow in the future.

So at the start of this New Year, take a moment to think about who you admire, and what it might mean for you.

There’s so much to learn from what we see in others - especially when we turn the volume down on our inner critic and look for the useful information.

Who do you admire, and why?

Where is this quality already present in you?

And what could it look like to bring a little more of it into your life in 2024?

Wishing you all a week of inspiring admiration,