Hi, I'm Kara Sutterfield and this is my podcast.
After over 20 years of leading one -on -one and
group coaching in professional settings, I developed
a passion for helping other women uncover who
they long to become and how to live into that
vision of self today. Let's deep dive into this
profound exploration together. Discover how best
to embody the highest version of ourselves and
take action in this present moment to be her
now. Welcome back to the to be her now podcast.
I have two goals for today. One is to call a
thing a thing. I want to make some observations
that I've been noticing lately. And my other
intention is just to build you up. I want to
speak into your life and encourage you. The thing
I've been noticing is we all have an innate desire
to be seen. We long to be noticed or discovered
or acknowledged. And so often I'm in a room full
of people observing everyone longing for this
and no one delivering it. Meaning when you take
the time to notice someone, to see them, to hold
space for them, to be present with them, you
are giving them the biggest gift. the gift that
most of us are longing for or lacking. And the
irony of that is when you are in a moment with
someone and you are showing someone that you
care about them, most of the time you receive
that exact energy back. And the same is true
for all aspects of life. If you want to be seen,
you have to see. If you want love, you have to
love. If you want honesty, you have to be honest.
Often the energy that we are seeking or the reward
that we are seeking is on the other side of being
or doing that exact thing for yourself or someone
else. We all have the opportunity to do exactly
those things for someone else every day if you're
looking for those moments. From your own family
when you're getting ready in the morning, to
someone in line at the grocery store, to the
guy down at the end of the hall of your office.
There is always someone with whom you can exercise
and practice giving exactly what it is you hope
to receive in the world. Do you take the time
to actively lift people up? How are you investing
in others? Do you seize the moments to show someone
that you care? Sometimes it feels like the whole
world is falling apart and I think that this
has happened throughout the ages. There's been
plenty of times where humanity has felt in chaos
and the outcomes are unknown. it feels like no
one is agreeing and while some people seem to
know exactly what to do from the position they're
in in their lives to directly affect those big
carry situations many of us feel like we aren't
in the position to do something but the change
starts with you right here right now it's like
we always hear be the change you want to see
in the world reach deep into every moment and
extract the kindness, the good, the inspiration,
and the love right out of it and then share it
with someone close by. We don't start by planting
a forest, right? You start by planting one seedling
and nurturing that and doing it again and again
and again. We spend so much time distracted with
what's going on over there with those people
that we completely neglect what's in our immediate
power to do. And first and foremost, that is
to fill your own cup. It is to take care of yourself.
Be a good steward of this body that you live
in. It's to nurture the relationships with the
people that are around you in your immediate
vicinity. It is to be honest with the person
that's in the mirror and the people around you.
When you start filling your own cup, as we hear
so often, it begins to overflow. You know, I
live in a city of almost a million and a half
people. and we have typical big city problems
and we have typical big city charms. But if every
one of us focused on helping ourselves, elevating
our own lives, and then making sure to help our
neighbors come up along with us, we'd have an
entirely different community in six months. We
see needs all around us in our own communities
and our own interactions all the time. But we
think that a small act of kindness or an extended
hand of help won't make a difference. we assume
that we will be imposing or we fear being rejected
and we allow that to stop us from contributing
in the moment that we're in. The number one thing
that you can do today is to feel into your true
authentic self and show up as that person not
only for yourself but for the people you're going
to come in contact with. We all run around, I
would say as a collective, not every one of us,
but we run around looking outward, asking the
people around us, do you like me? Do you approve
of me? Am I doing the right thing? Is what I'm
doing the next right step? The thing is you were
put on this earth with a particular purpose,
with a particular frequency to affect change
in your unique way. And if you're looking out
there for validation of what you're supposed
to be doing next, you are likely doing things
out of alignment with who you're here to be.
The number one question to ask yourself is, do
I like me? Am I showing up as who I want to be
in the world, as who I feel myself to be? Do
I feel integrity with myself? Do I feel respected
by myself? Do I like to spend time with me? Do
I value what I'm bringing to any given moment?
Start there. Begin with you. And if you're answering
no to any of those questions, it's okay. There's
no need to judge that or to worry about it. Just
start shifting into who you feel is your authentic
self. Because the thing is, we're raised in a
societal construct that is built to separate
us from who we are, to keep us concerned about
what's out there versus what's in here. And it's
backwards. Change and peace and love and kindness
and abundance and joy start inside of you and
overflow to them. It doesn't start with them
and work backwards. And let me be clear, I'm
not talking about selfishness. I'm talking about
putting your own oxygen mask on first because
you can't help anybody when you're not capable.
You can't share abundance that you don't have.
You have to cultivate that for yourself first
and then open yourself to sharing it. The main
thing I want to impart to you this week is that
whatever is on your heart to do, to feel, to
be is there for a reason. It is not an accident.
If it is something that is growing from a place
of love, it's right. And I want you to know that
you're worthy of stepping into that, whatever
it is. And when you start to step into your worthiness
When you own your space, when you claim what
it is that you believe is yours to claim, the
world reorganizes around that. So as you continue
through your week, I want to extend an invitation
to stand in your worthiness, to extend the power
of seeing and noticing first to yourself and
then to those around you. Just try it. Just trust
your instinct. When you're in line somewhere,
say hello. When you're in front of the mirror,
pause to say a few good things to yourself. Do
that for 30 days, and watch your world change.
I feel like I went on a little bit of a tangent
there, and got a little off topic from what I
had intended to talk about. But I'm gonna leave
it, because I really trust that this message
is for someone today. I know someone hearing
my voice right now had a spark of recognition,
and so I'm gonna let that be what it is. I wish
you a wonderful week on your journey to be her
now.