Anne van der Giessen’s Post

Something to ponder over the weekend. May it be a good one! https://lnkd.in/d8REa5eY

"Sometimes making that distinction between loving oneself and loving another is less simple than imagined. But perhaps that’s kind of the point." Musings on love that might be interesting for you, irrespective of whether today you'll be wining and dining, dating yourself at home or striking St Valentines Day from your calendar in disgust. I hope you will take up my invitation to use this opportunity to reflect on what love means to you. I'd be glad to hear your reflections and additions below. Thanks for showing up. Keep showing up. https://lnkd.in/e8kHYq6U

Hey Adelaide network! 👋🏼 I’m looking to get in touch with a trusted financial planner in SA that I can provide a referral to concerning superannuation income streams and retirement/tax planning. Do you know someone great? I’ll be grateful to hear from you in the comments, or via a DM if you prefer. Thanks a bunch! #FinancialPlanner #Retirement #Adelaide

If— "It smells a little of the dusty Victorian era, exudes vibes of stoicism and is reflective of the 'stiff upper lip' still characterising English culture today, especially when venturing beyond the cities. But, at least from where I stand, that doesn't mean [this poem] has lost its relevance. I read this work as a lesson in morality, touching on themes of personal responsibility, humility, resilience, self-discipline, and integrity. Do those ever go out of fashion?" https://lnkd.in/eVJmBsS8

Is it time your Purpose Pity Party is over? A slightly more fiery edition on the email this week. Because WAY too many people are falling in the "purpose trap". In spite of what Simon Sinek might say, sometimes "starting with why" is a big waste of time. However, sorting the basics is (almost) never a waste of time. If you're searching for your purpose, take a few minutes to read along here: https://lnkd.in/eZKF5uXW Thanks for showing up. Keep showing up. -A #HighPerformance #SortYourLife #HighFlame

The better you get at identifying and meeting needs, the more peace you’ll experience. Too much focus on your own needs can look like hyper-independence or self-centredness. Too much focus on the needs of others can show up as codependence or self-abandonment. A focus on both our needs and the needs of others leads to interdependence, AKA healthy relationship, which leads to more met needs collectively. Unmet needs at are at the heart of all conflicts. So, to the first point: if you want more peace, decide to become skillful at meeting needs. And remember, it’s actually not possible to meet *all* of our own needs… I’m looking at you fiercely independent ones. 👀 Here’s a link to my newsletter from last week where you can read more about how to identify and meet needs: https://lnkd.in/efRJTqBQ

If you were to view your behaviour in the world as a vote for what you want to see more of in the world, would you do things differently? At home? At work? It's time to take an honest look, inside and outside, and act accordingly. To acknowledge the agency we already have. It's not always easy to *really* look. But remember—cliche incoming—that your light shines brightest in the contrast of the shadow. So don't be afraid to review both. They both have a place. This week's newsletter touched on these ideas and more: https://lnkd.in/eVhR2VqQ I invite you to read along and I welcome your thoughts below. Thank you for showing up. Keep showing up. Stay courageous. -Anne #VoteWithYourFeet #HighPerformance #HighAwareness

Want more peace, contentment and delight in your life? According to Stanford and Harvard-trained psychiatrist Dr Paul Conti, who has extensive experience in clinical practice working 1:1 with diverse individuals over a matter of decades, there are two key ingredients for this: 1 - Agency 2 - Gratitude Since coming across this simple explanation of the internal forces that drive well-being via his interview on the Huberman Lab podcast, I've been sitting with the premise and reflecting on how it might translate to the way we interact with the world, especially concerning the first point. My assertion is that if you want to experience agency—which might also be described as "personal freedom"—it will be important to work on seeing the world correctly. As *it* is, not only as *you* are. This is not an end-state, it is a practice. The more you work at it, the more the circles of perception and reality will overlap, creating in you a sense that you can intervene in your world because you will be interacting directly with it, instead of with an overlay of how you think things are/should be. The latter doesn't usually end well. But how do you do engage in that practice? As Joseph Campbell says, "The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek." In other words, and grossly oversimplified: face what is uncomfortable. I'll be picking this apart a little more in my weekly email this coming Wednesday, and posting it here a day later. In case you prefer not to miss it, you can subscribe to that via the link in the comments. Don't expect to feel warm and fuzzy directly upon reading my emails. You'll be very disappointed. 😄 ...expect instead to find breadcrumbs for how you can increase your agency and gratitude. That's what this "work" is all about. Have a courageous week. #HighPerformance #Perception #Agency #Reality

Do you recognise one or both of the following? 1) You don’t know what your true “purpose” is, you just know that you’re not doing it now, and you’re feeling frustrated about not knowing what you should be working toward. and/or; 2) You know what you want, and you’re doing all the things you know to try to create it (read: networking, podcasts, books, seminars, meditation, workshops, therapy, coaching, etc.), but nothing seems to really move the needle. These were the two clear themes that emerged from participants at the personal growth event I hosted at the weekend. Check out this week’s newsletter to hear my underlying theory on the three personal realities that lead to these and related states of dissatisfaction, and answer some potent questions to start influencing the momentum that’s built up behind them for the better. I'm eager to hear your thoughts. Do you recognise these internal personal realities? Are you ready to move beyond them and anchor in a deeper truth? Wishing you a week filled with self-discovery and growth. -Anne #HighPerformance #PersonalLeadership https://lnkd.in/eVbgsWFH

Harpies? Time to get that sorted out. (No, not that!) In Greek mythology, the Harpies are monstrous creatures, part woman part bird. Just like the storms they personify, these creatures are fearsome and aggressive. They’re sometimes referred to as the ‘Hounds of Zeus’, punishing those who have been out of line according to the direction of the big boss. They swoop down to steal, scatter and spoil the food of mortals. Making a complete mess and leaving their victims terribly hungry and deeply disturbed. [To keep it LinkedIn-appropriate, I’m skipping the part about them sometimes devouring their victims.] Mythologically-speaking, it’s important to turn these stories inside out and see them playing out inside a single psyche. That is, if we want to truly understand their usefulness in our modern lives. The Harpies can be thought of as a psychological apparatus for self-sabotage. Killing off our creative ideas before they even see the light of day. Smashing or dreams after branding them “stupid”. Cursing our talents and rendering them lame. Muddying the clear waters of curiosity, so that only bleak possibilities bubble up. …it’s a kind of self-flagellation that many of us mere mortals succumb to. Silently. Pleasant smiles on the outside, perhaps. But inside, the winds howl. The first thing to recognise here is that we are all the characters in the story. We’re the Victim. The “Divine" God. The Destroyer. This goes way beyond simply having an 'inner critic that needs to be silenced', in my opinion. But what is all this complexity in service of? Well, that’s the most fascinating part. The whole dynamic is usually—in a backward, dysfunctional, but perfectly understandable once you uncover it kind-of-way—trying to help you. Yes, strange, I know. But I’ve found this to be true in every client I have supported in my practice over the last 5 years where the Harpies have shown up (which is frequent). Harpies are terribly misunderstood. Have you got a Harpy problem? If so, don't fret. It really does seem to be part of the human condition, and there is much you can do. My advice? Sort them out while they’re still small, train them well. They can become much more challenging to catch and attenuate once they’ve grown to full size. But it is possible, and I’m happy to talk about how I can help. And remember, you’re not ‘not enough’. ________ It’s been a while, but it’s time for #MythologyMonday to make a come back. If you enjoy these posts, please do like them, comment or let me know in a message. I’ll keep writing them anyway, but I’ve also gotta keep my own Harpies in check, you know. #SelfSabotage #Understanding  #HighPerformance #HighPerformanceMindset