“Simply Leap”
SIMPLY LEAP
On January 8th 2021 I had the great pleasure of hosting Lauree Ostrofsky on my Leadership LIVE Friday series (which airs Fridays at 10 am EST). She’s a coach, the founder of the Hudson Valley Womxn in Business organization, the author of “Simply Leap,” and much more. Our conversation quickly went from work updates to thoughtful discussions about life, and how we can ‘simply leap’ into the best versions of ourselves.
Lauree and I talked about the human tendency to look to others for validation in the decisions we make. Rather than look externally, what happens when we rely primarily on ourselves more when searching for insight? You are the only one who knows what’s best for you. Even if you pride yourself in not caring about the opinions of strangers, it’s difficult to shake the pressures from our loved ones. Lauree admits she “doesn’t call Mom first anymore,” when a new idea strikes because she knows that the feedback she will get may not be what she needs in that moment. When we give a new idea time to resonate within, we feel more solid before opening ourselves up to criticism. This allows us to be confident in our decision-making skills because and strengthens our self trust.
Often the reason we doubt ourselves is because we compare y others. It’s easy to look around, see what others are up to, and begin doubting our progress. Especially with social media playing an increasingly important role in our lives, it's hard to train our wandering eye. We are so tapped into what others are doing, we might forget that we’re all on different journeys. Yet the only journey we have control over is our own. It is when we truly commit to creating the best possible experience for ourselves - not at the expense of others, but to contribute meaningfully for the benefit of others - that we can fully realize our potential.
“There’s a reason why the ‘simply’ is in the front, because it’s not simple to leap… but what gets simplified is we face whats really frightening us, the thing that’s holding us back from doing the thing we already knew we wanted.”
Another major theme we touched on was the concept of control. What do we actually have control over? We can have our entire life laid out but one single event; a death, or disease, meeting someone new, even discovering you have a brain tumor as Lauree did at age 28, can change your whole world in a single moment. Although we might feel as if we are at life’s whim, we do have control over what we make of it. Looking into the abyss of uncertainty and despair, and coming to terms with your situation, whatever it may be, helps to ground us in perspective. As Lauree says, “…take your time in the pity party. Don’t go straight to action without feeling where you are.” You are allowed to show yourself compassion. Every event requires a different mourning period, and know that you have the strength to get through whatever life throws at you.
Remember to be kind to yourself, and be confident in the work you do in and out of your professional lives. This conversation with Lauree supports the notion that we are able to overcome all obstacles with a little compassion and perseverance. Although we might not be able to control much around us, we do have the power to take what we learn and turn it into resilience for the future.
Click below to listen to our full LIVE with Lauree Ostrofsky in which we discuss everything mentioned in the blog and much more, including her personal and professional leaps.
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