Can being your authentic Self make you a millionaire? Good question!
I say YES (for many reasons!) but let’s talk about just one.
This example unfolded in front of millions of viewers this season as we sat and watched with abated breathe to see who would be the winner in Survivor Caramoan. Now I’m not a huge reality show person but for some reason Survivor is one that I can actually stand to watch. It totally intrigues me to see people play a game that may or may not be out of their ‘normal’ realm of reality.
Outwit, Outplay, Outlast!
There are so many different aspects to it, elements of nature, the toll that it takes on an emotional, physical, & mental level to name just a few. The best part (for me at least) none of them involve a bedroom (Sorry Big Brother, The Bachelor/Bachelorette but there’s actually strategy in this game!).
This season, this show helped reiterate something so important: when one steps out of their insecurities and embraces their true Self, anything can happen.
So many players have come and gone, but this season I saw one person in particular (from the start) that I absolutely LOVED: Cochrane.
When Cochrane was asked to use 3 words to describe himself he said: insecure, neurotic, & brilliant.
Cochrane was my favorite Survivor players because of his wit, intelligence, compassion, nerd-iness & because I felt like we saw the ‘real deal’ with him. He didn’t come off as trying to be something he wasn’t and I loved that! He was so strategic and I felt like his characteristics really helped him with his game.
I’m not here to give you a play by play of the reality show- but when I was watching the finale he said something that really stuck with me.
He said that the first time he played the game (Survivor South Pacific 2012 where he was the 13 castaway)- he had trouble with the game due to his own insecurities and his own awkwardness of the social aspect of the game, and he feared that people wouldn’t like him!
In 2013 Cochrane then returned to the reality show and ended up winning the title of Sole Survivor and the million dollars!
So what changed?
This is what touched me- Cochrane said that he embraced his nerd-iness, his quirks, his insecurities and turned them into something that worked for him. He started making decisions that were based on who he truly was as a person (including his nerd-iness and quirks)- and that’s when everything started to align with his true Self.
When he started talking about accepting who He was I just wanted to jump through the TV screen and give him a high 5. However, since technology isn’t that advanced…yet, what I actually did was tear up a bit.
Nothing makes my heart sing more (this is 100% true!) than when someone realizes their full potential by accepting their true nature, their inner & outer beauty, their God given right to live and be happy.
It really reiterated to me that I want to love all of my own quirks (I’m still trying to figure out what some of mine are) and even allow myself to be a bit more ‘nerdy’ at times, to truly embrace every part of myself.
This will give me more freedom to let true happiness come in through my authentic Self.
Who knows- maybe one day I’ll even win a million dollars too!
Thanks Cochrane- you may have won a million dollars but you’ve probably changed peoples lives through your own awareness.
Calgary Canada Life Coach Arianne Moore, founder of Path of Tranquility Life Coaching for Women, helps clients worldwide.