The Umbrella I Carry Everywhere

What does that compartmentalizing look like for you? 

My good coaching friend asked me this the other day.

I had just landed on this word to describe how I was viewing all of my “jobs.” Each of my responsibilities were sitting in their own, unrelated category.

After she pushed me to look behind my meaning of compartmentalizing, I realized that each environment I frequent sat in its own box with an unclear purpose and different level of value. And when looking at the different compartments, I was entertaining the fear that I was becoming too spread out and people would view me as disarranged, chaotic, and therefore, ineffective.

Then I remembered that I acquired these different positions under the same goal for this season of life. After hanging up with her, I immediately began writing down that overarching goal. I knew that if I didn’t, I would continue operating in an insecure place of fearing other people’s views of me, and I wouldn’t be able to give my best in each space. I also knew that I would elevate some of my roles over others and not get as much value from each of them.

After drawing my big umbrella and inscribing it with my overarching goal for this season of life, I listed my jobs under the umbrella. And then I wrote down how I can operate through the umbrella vision in the specifics of the people and the activities required of me in each role. I also included how I can learn from the other people in these spaces because I can’t show up as my best without being open to what others can teach me. Had my friend not prodded at my thoughts, I wouldn’t have this visual.

So, here is my umbrella.

Visual featuring my Happy Planner. Would highly recommend!

This is the umbrella I want to carry with me and always have over my head. I want to do all things out of this place: Learning from God’s gentleness and admiration toward me to be able to offer to others. While walking under this umbrella, my choices become clearer and my days are simplified.

What does your umbrella look like?

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