The Big Red Chair
Apr 29, 2022When I was a little girl, my grandfather used to sit me in the big red chair. It was a kind of tall leather cushion throne. I was swamped in it as I was till small. But it is where I learnt one of my most valuable life lessons.
I would sit in that chair as a four year old. And he would ask me questions about what I thought about life and how I was living mine. He would invite me to share my perspective on the world and what was going on in it. As I spoke, he would listen intently and ask me more questions with keen interest. This went on from my early childhood to adult years. That ritual of arriving at my grandparents' house, lighting the fire and sitting in the big red chair. Where my grandfather would give me the intense gift of taking what I had to say seriously.
It wasn't the most comfortable experience as he had a sharp brain and would not suffer fools gladly. But what it taught me is that my perspective mattered, that I could make a difference by speaking up and that change came from having real conversations - even if it wasn't always easy.
Later, once I was met with the resistance of the world as I tried to change it, the memory of the big red chair carried me through. Even if people didn't want to hear it, I knew that my point of view had value.
The thing is that not many of us got to sit in the big red chair. And so we stop ourselves. We doubt ourselves. We don't speak up. We hide away from making the difference we could make.
So I want you to imagine that you are sitting in the big red chair with someone intensely listening to what you have to say - like it was the most interesting, fascinating and valuable thing that they had ever heard. What would you be saying that you are not saying now? What stand would you be taking that you care about? What would you be willing to speak up about that you are holding back on?
Until next time,
Louise
#purposedriven #makeadifference #meaning #careerchange #speakup #leadershipcoaching #careercoach
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