THE eys WITH KRISTIN KEYS TO SUCCESS, FINANCIAL FREEDOM, & PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT THIS THAT AND OR As a young girl, I thought you had to be a certain way. Not too big, not too loud, not too bossy, not a doormat. Don’t be too sexy or too much of a prude. Be kind, be compassionate, be quiet, and be empathetic. Don’t be too opinionated or too friendly, but make sure to be sweet and make people feel good. How confusing!! When I reached my 30’s, I started to realize I had no idea who I really was. I was so busy trying to be whatever everyone told me to be that I had lost a piece of me. Finding my own identity is an evolution I now see will never end and how wonderful that really and truly is! How amazing it is that we can grow and change and develop all the days of our lives? Have you ever been asked what you do? Asked to introduce yourself? I find it harder and harder lately to answer these ques- tions. We’ve grown in a world to be defined by our job or “role” and I have discovered I am not just one thing. In the search for 24 MARCH 2023 | INTHEVUE.COM my identity, I realized it feels wrong to say, ‘Hi, my name is Kristin and I am a financial planner.’ While that is true, that is where I spend a ton of my time, can’t I be more than that? It doesn’t have to be this or that. It can be this AND that. I am a mother, a financial planner, a wife, a fitness instructor, a speaker, an author, a coach, a teacher, a child of God, a student….to name a few. As we age and grow more and more into our identity, I fear that we are boxing ourselves into what we “think” we should be, instead of stepping fully into who we “are” and embracing it all. Identity can be defined by you and we are allowed to change it. How, then, do you begin to define your identity? I want to give you permission to build your own identity and step into it. I believe you can start to uncover your identity by exploring these four categories. 1. Your sense of significance – Where do you find your purpose? What are the areas of your life you feel you leave an impact on others? This may be in your faith or your job. This can be your role as a parent. Take a moment to dig a little deeper into the first thought and really ask yourself – does this part light up my soul? I like to define this for myself as this is something I can’t NOT do. It’s a must for me. I must coach. I can’t help myself. This comes across in my work as a financial planner every single day. It also comes through in my health with focusing on phys- ical and mental health. 2. Your personal qualities – What are the qualities you embody in your spirit? Are you seen as a listener or a challenger? Are you a seeker of information or the life of the party? There is no right or wrong here. You are naturally gifted in your personality and you should lean into that. I often thought I was supposed to be “quieter” or “smaller”, but it turns out when I started to lean in to my power, I loved public speaking. It’s not something I ever thought I was “allowed” to do, but once I stopped playing small, I found that if you give me a microphone – I come alive!
