Hey,
I'm Coach Charlie.
I'm really glad you're here.
If you're a leader who feels like you've become so good at playing the role of leader that you've forgotten who you actually are underneath it all,
Then this meditation is for you.
This is about remembering the person who chose to lead,
Not because they had to perform leadership,
But because something in them was called to create,
To build,
To make things better.
Let's begin.
Find a comfortable seat and let your back be supported.
If it feels safe,
Gently close your eyes.
Feel your feet on the ground.
You don't need to lead anything right now.
You don't need to have answers.
You can just be.
Let your breath move in and out at its all-natural pace.
Let's take a breath together.
Breathe in slowly through your nose and release through your mouth.
And with each exhale,
Imagine something within you releasing.
Maybe it's the weight of always needing to know what to do next,
Or maybe it's giving yourself the permission to stop managing everyone else's expectations for a moment.
Take a few more breaths like this on your own,
And I'll return momentarily.
Good.
Now that you've had a moment to settle in and release,
Let's explore what brought you here today.
You know that feeling of looking in the mirror some mornings and not quite recognizing the person staring back?
Somewhere along the way you became so focused on being what others needed you to be that you lost track of who you actually are.
Perhaps it shows up as going through the motions and meetings,
Saying what you're supposed to say.
Or perhaps it's feeling like you're watching yourself lead from the outside,
Like you're an actor playing a part.
Let's step away from that performance for a while and remember who you were before you learn how to be what everyone else needed.
So next,
We'll journey back to remember who you really are.
Even though you're sitting comfortably right here,
Imagine yourself in a place you know well,
But when it's completely empty.
Maybe it's your office building on a morning or your home office late at night.
In your mind's eye,
The lights are dimmed.
The nearby areas are quiet.
No conversations,
No notifications.
It's just you and a space where you spend so much of your life.
Walk through this familiar place in your imagination.
Listen as your footsteps echo softly.
Notice how different it feels when there's no expectations floating in the air.
You now arrive at your usual workspace,
Your desk,
Your chair,
Your monitor.
Just stand there for a moment in this imagined space.
Look around this space that knows you so well.
The mug you always use,
The notes on your monitor,
The books on your shelf.
In this quiet,
Ask yourself,
Who was I when I first wanted to do this work?
What drew me to this originally?
Maybe you remember being excited about solving complex problems.
Maybe you loved building something that mattered.
Maybe you were drawn to creating better ways for people to work together.
What was it for you?
Now imagine that original version of yourself,
The one who said yes to this path,
Walking in and sitting down right across from you.
Look at their face.
How do they carry themselves?
What's in their eyes that maybe isn't in yours anymore?
This earlier version of you has something to tell you about who you really are beneath all the roles you've learned to play.
So gently ask them,
What did you hope we would become?
What mattered to you about this work?
And just listen,
Don't think,
Just receive whatever comes up.
Now ask,
What part of you am I missing?
What did I leave behind that you want me to remember?
Again,
Don't think,
Just receive whatever comes up.
Watch as this earlier version of yourself gives you a knowing smile and gently fades back into the quiet space,
Leaving you with their wisdom.
And take one last look around this peaceful place,
Knowing you can return here whenever you need this reminder.
And now,
Gently bring your attention back to where you're actually sitting in this very moment,
Feeling your feet on the ground.
The wisdom from this conversation you just had will carry forward with you.
The person you just met,
Your authentic self,
Is still here with you.
I'm going to help you feel that in your body now.
So place one hand on your heart and one on your belly.
These are your centers of wisdom and intuition.
Take a moment to allow yourself to hear,
To feel whatever comes up for you.
With your hands on your heart and belly still,
Silently speak this truth,
I am more than the role I play.
Notice where this lands in your body.
Maybe it's a warmth in your chest.
Maybe there's a relaxing,
A softening in your shoulders or back.
Just notice.
Now say this silently to yourself,
My leadership comes from who I am,
Not what I perform.
Breathe that truth into your body and let it settle into your bones.
Feel it moving through you,
Not as a nice idea,
But as your actual power returning.
Because you know what?
This is you,
The real leader who chose this path because something in you is called to create,
To build,
To make the world a better place.
Feel your natural authority rising,
The confidence that doesn't need to prove itself,
The presence that doesn't need to perform.
And notice where you feel this authority in your body.
Maybe it's a straightening of your spine,
Or could it be a settling in your chest or something else?
Notice how authentic power feels different from performed confidence.
You don't need anyone's permission to lead from this place.
You are this person right now.
Not someday when you figure it all out,
But right now.
Feel that truth settling into your entire being.
This is your natural state.
This is who you've always been.
You see,
You don't have to choose between being effective and being yourself,
Or between being creative and being real.
The most powerful leaders lead from their center,
And that's exactly who you are.
You've just reconnected with your true self beneath all the performance.
So now,
Take one deep breath,
Breathing in your authentic power,
Breathing out the need to perform.
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes and lead from that place.
You're stepping forward as a real you,
The you you've always been,
The leader beneath the rule.
Welcome home to yourself.
May you go forward with peace,
Carrying this awareness with you as you return to the rhythm of your life.
Thank you for sharing this space with me.
