“Passion is energy.
Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.”
Oprah Winfrey
Working with women leaders for over 20 years, I have developed various methods to extract that special spark out of them, a light that they perhaps have kept hidden or have not given themselves permission to explore. There are a number of reasons why women in particular downplay our big dreams (Imposter Syndrome, Perfectionist Syndrome, to name a few…). Yet in every case, once we give ourselves the time and space to listen, really listen and really feel, magic happens.
One of the biggest arguments I will make for being emotionally connected to your business and your brand is that in a recent Gensler brand engagement survey, over 94% of respondents said they would be highly likely to recommend a brand they were emotionally engaged with. 94%! So the question I put out to all of my clients is,
“If you’re not emotionally connected to your brand, how can you expect anyone else to be?”
Let’s start with a little exercise that will tap us into our emotional self so that we can harness what I call #bigbrandenergy.
- Take a few minutes. In a quiet place, if possible.
- In your chair, get comfortable, get your feet on the ground. Be aware of your connection to the ground. Be in this present moment.
- Trust me! Close your eyes. I’m going to guide you through this visualization that will help you get reconnected to those emotional cues.
- First, I want you to think about someone you love who lights you up. Visualize their face, feel how it feels to be around them and in their presence. Feel it in your heartspace.
- Next, I want you think about someone or something you don’t particularly love. Recognize how that feels, where you feel it in your body.
- Now, think about something you really want in your life. A big dream, a big goal. One that your might feel is a bit scary because it’s so big. One that you might tell yourself isn’t possible. How does that feel?
With those three points, we can map it on a very simple Emotional Scale:
Most people go through life hovering around the neutral zone. We do it to keep us safe. What if you were to push yourself out of that comfort zone a bit and live in the +10 the majority of the time? Wouldn’t that be amazing?! This is where the good stuff is.
Whatever that big dream or big goal of yours was that lit you up, I want you to hold onto that feeling for a few days. When you start to dip closer to and below zero, let that feeling lift you back up. Don’t worry about the how or the million other blocks your monkey mind will put in the way. Just try it out for a few days, and see what ideas, people, and opportunities start to trickle in.
What do you have to lose?
