Mary J. Blige and Brendon Burchard walk into a bar…
Not really, but that would be way cool.
Have you ever had one of those moments? The moment where everything shifts? There’s clarity, comfort, inspiration.
I did. Today. Just now.
For years, I’ve had Mary J.’s song “No More Drama” in my music library. The beginning notes (and a line in the song) remind me of watching the soap opera Young and the Restless with my grandmother. Mary J. is an amazing singer, songwriter, performer, and person. She’s absolutely stunning. I’ve never met her, but this is what I think.
Brendon Burchard is a mentor of mine. He teaches effective habits and mindset and all the things I enjoy learning and teaching. I’ve never met him either, but he and his wife Denise raise the bar for me.
Brendon challenged me to set an alarm on my phone that would serve as a reminder for me to check in with myself – how am I doing with my intentions and goals at various intervals in the day. The alarm would be named with three words that reflect what I aspire to be. I’ll admit, I often take notes when I listen to classes or podcasts, but I don’t always apply the things I hear until days or weeks later…or never. Today, I decided I would do it as soon as he said it. I took out my phone and proceeded to set the alarm. The alarm allows you to pick a sound (I think most alarms on cell phones do). So, I scrolled through the sounds…the same ole same ole that we often hear going off in the store when someone’s phone rings. Confession – I’m still guilty of perfectionism occasionally – I couldn’t just set an alarm. It had to be perfect. The sound had to be right so that I wouldn’t ignore it. Not Cosmic, not Reflection, nor Twinkle would do the trick. Then I saw that you can add a song from your phone. Are you kidding me?! Which song would I choose? I almost gave up. I thought to myself, “Jenny, just pick a sound and move on! Why are you taking more than even a minute to set this alarm? You’ll probably ignore it anyway. Just move on!” And then I scrolled past Mary J.
BAM!!
You can watch the video to see how the song was interpreted by producers and cinematographers. The song was released in 2001 and could easily be released today. It’s still very relevant and moving. But here’s what it means to me. It’s about the many faces of ourselves. The drama we create within ourselves; how we are always one decision away from a completely different life.
Pull the thread of this thought…
My thinking about the exercise to set an alarm caused drama in my mind. I’ve had a lot of drama lately about getting on social media, to tell my story, to help, to serve, to share, to be exposed. I’ve enjoyed being behind the scenes. I love coaching. I love serving my clients and learning from them. Now, this may be a poor and inconsequential comparison to the images depicted in Mary J.’s video, but I assure you the drama that holds us back from even the simplest decisions and goals is just as impactful. It’s the stories that we tell ourselves that impact everything we do and don’t do!
I cannot wait for my alarm to go off today. I am on fire! I don’t know where I’ll go with this social media thing, but I’m giving it another try! I’m human – there will be more drama – but there will be no more drama over the decision to show up, to tell my stories, to serve and help, and to be exposed. BTW, the three aspirational words I used to name my alarm are determined, impeccable, and kind. When that alarm goes off, I will ask myself: Am I feeling determined today? Am I being impeccable with how I show up? Am I being kind to myself and others?
Maybe this will move you too.
