Learning to SOAR

We are nearing the end of 2023.  For many, that means a final push towards professional, personal, or financial goals in addition to dealing with the stress of the holiday season.  If I asked you to rate your current level of anxiety on a scale of one to ten, with one being totally chill and ten in need of blood pressure medication, how would you score?  My level of anxiety is currently at nine as I am preparing for a permanent move back to Germany, a transformational decision that has been in the making for some time. 

Early this year, I developed my signature coaching program called SOAR (the acronym stands for the four phases: SEEK, OUTLINE, AWAKE, and RELEARN), which helps professionals transform mindfully and with ease so they can SOAR in all areas of their lives. And as I created this blueprint based on my past experiences in dealing with massive change, I witnessed my own transformation unfold throughout 2023.  Gratefully, I accepted the challenge to put myself through the SOAR program, and this is what I learned during the process:

1. SEEK

I took a deep dive into my values and re-assessed what was important to me and why.  I had two “aha moments” in recent years that shifted something in me: First it was the onset of COVID and spending much time in isolation.  I could not visit my family in Germany for two years and felt lonely and disconnected for the first time in the over 25 years that I had been living in the United States.  The second event was the death of my mom in September 2022. It filled me with grief, which some say is an expression of love.  I started questioning my future and how I wanted to live the rest of my life and concluded that family visits once or twice a year no longer fill my cup. I decided with much clarity and resolution to return to Europe by the end of this year to be closer to my family. 

2. OUTLINE

Once I had made my decision, I went into planning mode and outlined how I would get to my goal of moving across the Atlantic with my dog, Boone.  Moving is one of the major recognized causes of stress because it entails dealing with massive change.  Moving to another country, even if it is my motherland, adds a whole different layer of complexity.  I consider myself an excellent planner and was fully aware that this move would push me to my limits as I outlined my plan.

3. AWAKE

While dealing with the identification of international moving companies, researching rules and regulations related to traveling with a dog, and examining which of my belongings I truly wanted to take with me into my future, I constantly took on the role of the observer and checked in with my feelings. That is what the AWAKE phase of SOAR consists of: drawing attention to our thoughts, which cause our feelings and, ultimately, our actions. Once you are awake, you are in a position of power to choose thoughts that serve and support you. 

4. RELEARN

It is said that relearning is the highest form of learning.  Part of the RELEARN phase is to learn to let go, and I am not just talking about letting go of possessions.  There is much more that we can let go of, for example, our ego.  When I return to Germany, I am starting from zero.  That is a humbling experience, especially given the professional success I have had during my time here in the United States, and although I grew up in Germany, I will have to re-learn not only the customs of the country but, more importantly, examine the thoughts and beliefs I carry with me from childhood to see if they are still valid and serving me going forward. 

There you have it: an overview of SOAR and a review of my 2023 transformation.  I am hopeful and optimistic about what is waiting for me on the other side.  Transformations are never easy.  To quote Robin Sharma, “Yes, your transformation will be hard.  Yes, you will feel frightened, messed up, and knocked down.  Yes, you will want to stop.  Yes, it is the best work you’ll ever do.”

If you are going through a transformation, I am your girl.  Reach out to me at angela@belladonnacareercoach.com and find out how you, too, can SOAR in 2024!  Cheers!