Meet Solomon
Solomon is my Inner Critic.
He's a solemn, older white gentleman, who seems quite logical - easy-going, even - as he quietly and firmly lets me know about all the things I'm doing wrong. His tone makes it clear that he believes he's an objective commentator who has earned the right to be taken seriously.
Solomon's currently telling me I ought to have a solid plan before sending this email. In fact, he says, I should have at least 3 emails planned, drafted, edited, and auto-scheduled before I even think about clicking send. They should be scheduled at specific intervals that integrates all the best emailing practices and each have the perfect combination of practical tips, topical and appropriate vulnerability, and a single call to action.
He's not wrong! the rest of my Inner Committee chime in. We're running a business now! We've got to have some sort of strategy! And besides, it's not just Solomon. There are so many business people out there saying the same thing. It's practically common knowledge!
Solomon has earned quite a few supporters in his tenure.
I recently had a chat with Solomon and have taken him off the email committee. In fact, he's been placed on administrative leave while I decide where he can serve best within this internal operation. The culture around here is shifting. But we also believe in radical inclusion - that all parts are welcome. While Solomon may need some coaching to learn how to align himself with our overall vision, his prior contributions have not gone unnoticed and he's not retiring anytime soon, so we'll get him back to work after a reset.
Please forgive the business jargon. I'm finally embracing the notion that I do, indeed, run a business! Me! Caryn! I've even been asked to work with a couple of leadership teams that run other businesses to consult them on team dynamics through the lens of the Enneagram! I'm still processing, and also feeling quite excited.
I never could have predicted so many of the things happening in my life right now, and at the same time, it kind of feels just right, so I'm going with it.
Yesterday, without much planning, I decided to embrace my Small Business-hood and offer a couple of special deals through the end of the year. I'll be posting about them on social media soon, but I wanted you to hear it first and give you an extra special offer code.
The first is a 4-session coaching package.
This is special because I typically work with folks over several months to support them through a particular period in their life. The thing about inner work is that it has a way of revealing deeper layers over time. We may start with a sense of what's off or what we think we want, and then the coaching process supports us in uncovering even more powerful yearnings - and all the fear, pain, and anger we need to work through to embrace them. I love being able to offer my clients support as they transform and make their way forward, sometimes with wobbly baby steps and other times big leaps of faith.
But this offer feels just right. I am wanting more people to experience the impact of coaching, even if they're not ready to commit to six months of deep work.
It's also an homage to my first Enneagram coaching experience, which came from an "impulse" buy of a 4-session package with Abi Robins. I put "impulse" in quotes because I had been listening to their podcast and following them on Instagram for quite some time. When their Thanksgiving weekend offer was too good to pass up, it kicked off over 2 years of life-changing work together where I built the confidence and leaned on support in pursuing what at the time felt like some pretty lofty dreams.
So, if you've been considering working with me, or if you sense I'm the perfect fit for a friend or family member, it's a great time to dive in. I'm keeping this offer available through the end of the year (I know you're inundated with offers this weekend), but if you're already feeling your full-body-yes rise up, the first 3 people who purchase the package can take $30 off with the code: 2021 .
The second special offer is even lower-cost and *may* even be more impactful (it all depends on what you're needing)?! I'm going to heed a nugget of Solomon's warnings not to cram too much in here (he's not all bad, I promise!), so I'll hold off on sharing much about it for now, but if you're curious, you can click here.
I hope you have a wonderful [long] weekend. Whether it's filled with family, friends, and/or pie, my heartfelt wish for you is that it is filled with gratitude.
With Love,
~Caryn
P.S. I have a nasty habit of comparing my holidays to others' and I'm committed to not doing that this year, so I'll be mostly offline until Monday. Looking forward to connecting when I return!
For Reflection
Take these questions to your journal, your next deep conversation, your therapist, coach or counselor, or simply ponder them throughout the upcoming weeks.
Does your Inner Critic have a name? What are they like? What tone do they use with you?
What parts of your path did you never see coming? What parts feel just right? What doesn't' feel quite right?
When have you allowed yourself to make a [major] last-minute decision? What happened? What did you tell yourself before, during, and after?
What people, actions, or beliefs [or food] support you in accessing gratitude?
"The upside of Imposter Syndrome is that you're always aware of how surreal these gifts are. I never expect it, so I'm actually incapable of taking it for granted." - Brandi Carlisle, Broken Horses
