We were celebrating an anniversary in the office today and one of the team said I had been an inspiration over the last 12 months. I wasn't expecting that, it was lovely to get the feedback. I took this photo on holiday the other week and it got me thinking about how we inspire others, but more importantly, how do we move forward and inspire ourselves.
Imagine you're standing on the shore, the place where you've always been. The sand beneath your feet represents your old self—familiar, comfortable, but limited to this small stretch of beach. The waves lap at your ankles, inviting but also uncertain. The ocean before you is vast and unknown, a symbol of potential, change, and discovery.
You step into a small boat, pushing off from the shore. As the distance between you and the land grows, you leave behind all that was safe but stagnant. The shore fades into the distance, like the version of yourself you’ve outgrown. You’ve let go of the stability you once clung to, trading it for the endless horizon.
Out on the open water, the journey isn't always smooth. The sea is unpredictable, like the uncertainties and fears you face in the process of transformation. There are moments of calm, where you feel the peace of aligning with something new, and moments of storm, when you doubt or struggle against the waves.
But as you continue sailing, the horizon ahead becomes clearer. You begin to trust the journey, feeling the wind in your sails, carrying you toward a version of yourself that has yet to fully reveal itself. You no longer look back to the shore; the pull of the unknown future is stronger than the past you've left behind.
Eventually, you see a new shore, representing the discovery of your new self— a place that holds different possibilities, growth, and deeper meaning. The person stepping out of the boat on this new land is not the same one who left the shore behind.
Interesting thought to ponder, maybe it is time to find your boat!