How To Initiate on Highly Sensitive Self-Employment. Step One.

Once we are past the day dreaming about self-employment phase, and have decided it is something we actually want to pursue, then we are ready to give it a try.

Step One is about finding out what you want to do, to become, to offer. A few lucky ones are already done with this very important first step, and have had clarity for so long, that it’s just waiting for them to make it happen. But many many many others don’t. This is for them.

Myself back in January 2018, for instance, is a fantastic example of not being able to face the process so smoothly. I suddenly felt insecure about abilities, likes, and even certifications I had! I was leaving my corporate job, and while resisting the urge to dive into a similar endeavor, decided that it was best for me to go back to square one and, ultimately, to my now preferred guidance: my heart, soul, inner voice or whatever you want to call it.

One way to tap into what is in store for us is to seek guidance from a Coach, Mentor or anyone trained for the job. It is different from the typical outplacement process basically because you dare to face a white page… as clueless as you may have been when graduating from high school! I chose a Coach. And my 1st session statement was: I don’t know what will I do, but I’m sure it won’t have to do with coaching, as that is something that will come later on, when I’m older. Funny, right? Even if my Coach grimaced when she heard this, she just remained silent, without judging (a perk of this discipline!)

I guess I was afraid. Of SO.MANY.THINGS. Afraid of failing myself and my family. Actually, ashamed of failing everyone. And, guess what? Ashamed of succeeding as well! Making ends meet was something I could not neglect as driver of my choices, and I had been brought up believing that money comes with sacrifice and hard work, and TIME. I did not expect that what I liked doing best could possibly be something someone would need or pay for. There were (are?) lots of worth unresolved issues going on & about, aggravated by those heavy-duty-beliefs about how to earn a living with dignity (That’s were my jewish & immigrant roots kicked in ! PAF!).

So I was given a wonderful and powerful homework, which I want to share here with my personal imprint.

SES Activity #1 >>> Emerging Passions That Pay Rent

WHAT I LOVE DOING –

WHAT (others think) I DO BEST –

WHAT SKILLS I MAY GET PAID FOR DOING (& others would pay for)

There is an ample variety on how you can fill this up. There is the possibility of going one by one face to face, which would be very a very enriching, courageous activity. Or an online survey, WhatsApp audio, Instagram or FB poll. The question is straightforward: WHAT DO YOU THINK I DO BEST, BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE?

Believe me, you will be surprised! Just listen, read, freeze those judgements that push in the back of your head desperately to come out. JUST TAKE IT IN.

I recommend using any word cloud application and realize what your equity is. WHO you ask, and what BRIEF you give them is highly related to the result. When I interviewed my people, I was sometimes very to the point, and sometimes explaining I was in a job definition mission. That brought in some weird combinations*. So be more consistent than I was… >> I asked close friends but also co-workers and general acquaintances. This is what I stared at in the end, where the absolute winner were: ORGANIZES, then LISTENS, and finally in equal measure SOLVES, LEADS, EXECUTES & DECISION MAKING.

You can try with https://www.wordclouds.com/ or https://wordart.com/, both wuite intuitive!

Emotions run high while processing the “survey”. First, there is the shyness and vulnerability that come into play. After all, I am a Highly Sensitive Person, and even if I wasn’t, I guess there would be at least a small amount of discomfort associated with exposing oneself, right? Second, we start realizing what we have sown over the years… as those Top Of Mind concepts arise as a kind of harvest after many many many situations and dialogues and experiences that have been added. Third, not always does self-awareness match feedback and that CLASH! Is felt all over. We tend to reject, deny, justify and explain what we are not yet ready to embrace and accept. The mind jumps in to rationalize just about everything, wanting to diminish the power within such eye-opening experiment.

We start realizing what we have sown over the years..

Finally, what we are left with are Emerging Passions That Pay Rent, as we download all what was gathered and place the words into a Venn diagram, as Items B. Items A are the things I LOVE doing (even if it is drinking good coffee, dancing, dogs and books, everything counts!). Items C are those things we are paid for doing or providing. There will be at least 1 way in which at least 1 in item A, in B and in C will connect. Whether it is in the activity you do or the target you choose to do it for/with. For example, I LOVE writing & organizing… people voted organizing was my #1 skill and here I am! Trying to help others organize themselves, no matter how overwhelming life and the world may seem when sensitivity runs high.