Last week when I was in New York City I spent some time at the St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

It’s a time-honored tradition for me, and is something that I look forward to doing every time I’m in NYC.

If you haven’t been, St. Patrick’s is majestic and truly a sight to behold.  It’s a refreshing departure from the hustle and bustle of Midtown Manhattan, and life in general.

I go not to worship publicly, but to just be.

Connect with myself.

I ask the universe to guide me in serving my family, my clients, and everyone who crosses my path.

After I spend time reflecting, I usually wander into the gift shop to browse, and never buy anything because I’m way more into experiences than physical possessions.

But this time was different.  I took a spin through the gift shop and a beautiful piece of artwork caught my eye, and I decided it needed to come home with me.  It reads:

 

Things to Remember

Love your life & what you’ve been given, it is not accidental.

Search for your purpose and do it as best you can.

Forgive, it frees the soul.

Recognize the special people you’ve been blessed to know.

Live for today.

And above all, make every moment count.

 

It’s in those quiet moments alone when we create the space to reflect on ourselves and what matters most.

Spending time alone is the most powerful thing you can do to really know yourself.  How could anyone expect to really be in tune with themselves if they’re constantly giving their attention to everyone and everything around them?

Authenticity is about being real, being you.  Accepting who you are, imperfections and all.  

It’s about realizing that the quality of your human experience really has nothing to do with what’s going on around you, and has everything to do with what’s going on within.

There is nothing, nothing more magnetic than someone who is in tune with who they really are.

You want to be a better leader? Spend more time alone.

You want to be a better partner? Spend more time alone.

You want to be a better parent?  Spend more time alone.

You want to be a better friend? Spend more time alone.

You see, it all starts with you.

The place where you spend time alone doesn’t much matter. It could be a church, it could be in nature, it could be on your couch.

The most important thing is that you’re present.  Aware.  Fully connected to who you are.  Taking in the experience.  Reflecting.  Appreciating.  Being.

So this week I’ll ask you to reflect on these questions:

• How well do you really know yourself?
• How do you feel about spending time alone?
• What are some ways you can shift more from doing into being?

Helping high-level business leaders connect with who they really are is what I do.  And I love every minute of it.  If you’d like to explore what this journey could look like for you, grab a time here.