Without a ‘political’, with a personal, agenda – I am concerned about living in extremes that are causing the shifting away from independent thought, individual respect, and towards group think, the demonizing of those who disagree. The exploitation of fear to motivate decision-making.  The manipulation to provide a sense of belonging. How is it ok for companies to implement policies favoring a one-side position, while employing a team that, whatever the percentage, have a variety of opinions? Should organizations speak for an entire demographic? What has happened to open, free exchange of ideas, allowing for educating and compromise?  Do work / life boundaries still exist?
  
I find myself continually embracing the idea to reimagine the possibilities of 'living inside out, in an outside in world'.
 
Extremes - outside in… There’s a lot of noise. What are the realities, is real? Are we seeking, searching for the whole picture or only what is convenient to know? Who is trustworthy? Always, sadly – should we follow the money?
 
Extremes - inside out… Know personal values. Balance commonsense. Live by timeless moral codes and civil law. How does an issue, informed of all the facts, align to these beliefs? Speak only for oneself, not others, just self, using I statements.  Be not afraid, do not stay silent.  Listen to understand.

How are extremes affecting your life, relationships and or work? Can you determine what is outside in thinking and the possibility for inside out perspectives? Please share! 
 
How are you living - your truest inner being, obsessing over external narratives/approvals/belonging, anywhere on the spectrum in between, OR? How much do you know, want to understand your own story and the way it shows up, serves you in life, family, career?  It feels like the unpacking for me has been going on for decades, perhaps most influentially the past 5+years.  May I support you, wherever you are at, to consider what might be in your baggage? To intentionally cross the door's threshold?  Is it time to purposefully live OUR STORIES, 'inside out'?
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Bullying… I remember having a restrained viewpoint of bullying, until I managed a couple of employees that brought to their annual reviews concerns about a fellow teammate being a bully as by the definition; a blustering, mean, or predatory person who, from a perceived position of relative power, intimidates, abuses, harasses, or coerces people. Of course, this was not ok for the culture, and I did my best to shift the ‘power’ back to these individuals, away from a focus on the ‘bully’. I believe success was achieved, only to find myself surprisingly identifying the same about the Board and hired Advisor. I was being bullied and they strategically, attempted to accuse me, crazy! 

I find myself continually embracing the idea to reimagine the possibilities of 'living inside out, in an outside in world'.
 
Bullying - outside in… Give in to the intimidations. Question oneself and allow confidence to be shaken. Become polarized or a follower in acting and speaking up.  
 
Bullying - inside out… Recognizing it is not personal, but a reflection of the Bully and their insecurities, need to assert control. Reclaim personal power by affirming what are the realities. Demonstrate inner strength, belief in oneself. The ‘act’ of bullying can occur, but to internalize the bullying is a 'choice'.

Sadly, no way around it, there is an awful lot of ‘bullying’ going on – how is it showing up in your life, relationships and or work? Can you determine what is outside in thinking and the possibility for inside out perspectives? Please share! 
 
How are you living - your truest inner being, obsessing over external narratives/approvals/belonging, anywhere on the spectrum in between, OR? How much do you know, want to understand your own story and the way it shows up, serves you in life, family, career?  It feels like the unpacking for me has been going on for decades, perhaps most influentially the past 5+years.  May I support you, wherever you are at, to consider what might be in your baggage? To intentionally cross the door's threshold?  Is it time to purposefully live OUR STORIES, 'inside out'?

Moving on, moving forward… an interesting distinction.  I believe I have done ok moving forward, after having mine and my children’s life journeys significantly disrupted and detoured. We have new networks/friends, new jobs, launched projects, expanded knowledge/learning, discovered realities about our lives and opportunities…lots to be grateful for and hopeful about. But moving on, being candid, wish I could say we were doing better. How does one ever move on from lies that bring losses of family, career, friends, securities, dreams…
 
I find myself continually embracing the idea to reimagine the possibilities of 'living inside out, in an outside in world'.
 
Moving on - outside in… I care what others think of me? I am acting as if ‘it is about me’? I am in conflict with defining what family is/isn’t through traditional standards?
 
Moving on - inside out… I own MY truth; my motives were well intentioned. I explore the definition of family, aligning to my own values. I identify my desire to belong, asking to find it in faith and spirit.

How is moving on, moving forward showing up in your life, relationships and or work? Can you determine what is outside in thinking and the possibility for inside out perspectives? Please share! 
 
How are you living - your truest inner being, obsessing over external narratives/approvals/belonging, anywhere on the spectrum in between, OR? How much do you know, want to understand your own story and the way it shows up, serves you in life, family, career?  It feels like the unpacking for me has been going on for decades, perhaps most influentially the past 5+years.  May I support you, wherever you are at, to consider what might be in your baggage? To intentionally cross the door's threshold?  Is it time to purposefully live OUR STORIES, 'inside out'?

​The I and R word… It is the headline of the news, topic of conversation, worry being stirred up. Inflation…Recession…yikes!  Obviously, one cannot stick their head in the sand and ignore the buzz. What will / does it all mean, big picture AND reality within day-to-day living and business?  I am starving for non-partisan, agenda free, information…give me the data not opinion, interpretation, so I am positioned to make informed, unbiased decisions.  I am aware of economic changes that cannot be denied.
 
I find myself continually embracing the idea to reimagine the possibilities of 'living inside out, in an outside in world'.
 
I and R - outside in… All is viewed through the lens of ‘experts’, media and the Fear. Our narratives sound familiar to storylines, talking points. A helpless, doomsday attitude dominates our thoughts. We’re becoming victims!
 
I and R - inside out… Applying the facts to be fully mindful of, to what are individual (personal and business) actual experiences, develop a plan within one’s own control. As much as possible, can we attempt to defy and create destiny? Seek solutions, avoid contributing to the problem, if only through attitude.  What changes can be made to budgets? Is it imaginable, with an alternative point of view, there exists opportunities to explore? (ie: Staycation in one's own city, New product, service or training, Bartering, Collaboration, etc.)  

Frustrating and disappointing this situation is upon us – how much is it effecting your life, relationships and or work? Can you determine what is outside in thinking and the possibility for inside out perspectives? Please share! 

How are you living - your truest inner being, obsessing over external narratives/approvals/belonging, anywhere on the spectrum in between, OR? How much do you know, want to understand your own story and the way it shows up, serves you in life, family, career?  It feels like the unpacking for me has been going on for decades, perhaps most influentially the past 5+years.  May I support you, wherever you are at, to consider what might be in your baggage? To intentionally cross the door's threshold?  Is it time to purposefully live OUR STORIES, 'inside out'?

I find myself continually embracing the idea to reimagine the possibilities of ‘living inside out in an outside in world’.
 
What exactly am I trying to say…time after time in my personal brain dumping* (journaling to some), I come back to the question of am I living life through my inner self or am I influenced, perhaps dependent on others, by external factors and noise, living what is outside me?  The content is never ending. The question can be asked by the ages… it can be asked through values and thoughts… it can be responsive to current issues group think…
 
I am curious if more of us were intentional about writing our stories because we did the work to unpack our baggage and be prepared for the doors that appear, how would society / our world BE? What is the effect to our personal relationships and professional careers?  How do we feel about ourselves, lives and purpose?
 
For long enough I have considered what am I supposed to do with this perspective, nagging belief to be acknowledged. I have decided to start discussing it through blogging, to incorporate it in my work, to ideally challenge others thinking, to begin the journey of exploring it further.  It won't be perfect…but please join me!
 
How are you living - your truest inner being, obsessing over external narratives/approvals/belonging, anywhere on the spectrum in between, OR? How much do you know, want to understand your own story and the way it shows up, serves you in life, family, career?  It feels like the unpacking for me has been going on for decades, perhaps most influentially the past 5+years.  May I support you, wherever you are at, to consider what might be in your baggage? To intentionally cross the door's threshold?  Is it time to purposefully live OUR STORIES, 'inside out'?

*My 'brain dumping' - 365 Letters to Myself ,  Blog | christinaMbrandt

Mirror, mirror…who is the fairest of all? How relevant is this in a “family”?!
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There is something about the family that brings out the innate desire to compete, or one up.  For this blog, I define family as, to quote, “genetic comrades”.

The idea of family is arguably the center of it all.  It is our first opportunity to belong. Shaping and contributing to, our beliefs, values, personalities, and futures, through the dynamics in which the unit exists and functions. The parenting, only child or sibling, birth order, given role, extended relatives, economic status, home, traditions, education, faith practices, health, and so much more.  It has been said what happens in your primary years – maybe up to 5 – will be more revealing than we realize.  Seems possible, how many of us really remember those first years other than an event or feeling, here or there? But should life dictate, reflecting upon them will provide an image that offers clarity to where you are in the present.  While leaning in to get a better view, consider the likelihood of all doing the best they could, at that moment in time, with the knowledge they held.

Maybe your entire life you seek approval because of your parental relationship. Maybe you became a high achiever hoping to be noticed, finding independence instead. Maybe you believe there’s nothing you can’t do because of the support you received.  You fight back from being picked on. You have trust issues. You generously give to others. Millions of families, millions of stories – uniquely individual, highly insightful.  Showing up in relationships, communities, businesses, careers, work, play, society – our own created family.
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The definition of family has evolved significantly for me. My unspoken story viewed through a cracked mirror; broken families not uncommon.  I now consider attributes, more than blood ties. Can you be your authentic self? Do you feel accepted and a sense of belonging? Is there security and safety? Is love from the place of each other’s betterment, positioning for success?  How present is competition?

Mirror, Mirror…there is no fairest of all, in families that shine. 

Reimagine Possibilities would like to be your 1:1 personal, executive, family coach. My Narrative Coach training combined with life experiences allow me to be empathic and understanding of all that is good, and the challenges that can be. If you keep looking in the rearview mirror, watch out, you may crash into what is in front of you.  

Would it be fair to say that nothing mirrors our unspoken stories greater than the fears that are reflected through how we are living?  What is lurking in the dark shadows, as an opportunity to bring into the light?  Could fear (or absence of) possibly be the greatest director of our lives?

The last year plus has exposed so much.  “Forever” we went about our days, occasionally facing and experiencing what we feared, but mostly just embracing life routinely, through “normalcy”.  Along comes a disruption and nothing will ever return to what was.  One could assess, we are a world more afraid of dying than living, or fears are more relevant than faith, or we are concerned more with following/belonging than questioning… I could go on, but we all have our own perspective to insert. If honest, speculate that underlying any viewpoint, fear is present as a motivator. 

There is healthy fear, of course. Fear triggers our need to evaluate and protect. Logically, we always want a presence of fear as a checks and balance.  Where we should be concerned about the role of fear is when it becomes the dominating driver of choice.  If fear takes over our values and what we value, does fear lead, or even win?  I.e.: Are we living the values of family, when they are “alone” in a moment, they seek us most? Are we living in integrity when we claim freedom matters, but concede to questionable restrictions?  Are we satisfied, historically, we will look back with little regret and limited “I wish or if only”?

When you look in the mirror, what story do you see fear writing for you right now? There are resources, like Coaches, that can help channel your fears whether personal or business in ways that will honor your values, unpack a buried story, empower you to choose the chapter you intentionally write and more.  Following is one possible exercise to consider, if relevant. 

May the reflection you see, always be the silhouette of your inner courage and productively channeled fears. May you glow from facing your OWN truths.
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F – Identify your Fear/s
O – What Options exist in your fear/s?
R – What are the Realities of these options?
W – What are you Willing/unWilling to do?
A – Do you need to consider an alternative Attitude?
R – Can you Reimagine what may/may not be possible through this new attitude?
D – What Decision will you choose to move forward?