Robert / Siena / Yan Maschke. Cleveland, Ohio, December 2023.
Photo Credit: Lauren Anderson.
Holiday greetings from the Maschkes!
This end-of-year holiday season is always a good time of reflection for me. I am thinking of you and sharing with you my personal reflections.
Growing up in a culture where 99% is a failure in school and having always shouldered a strong sense of responsibility since I was young, I can be hard on myself. At the end of the year, I tend to feel that I should have done more and should have served more clients in my boutique coaching & facilitation business. It’s almost a perpetual sense of guilt that I carry.
This year, I have been forced to calibrate, in a very good way. I needed to support my 17-year-old daughter with her college visits and college selection process (a stressful one), and I needed to provide daily emotional support to my 90-year-old father who is quite ill in China. But for quite a while, I felt guilty each day for not spending more time on my work.
I am extremely fortunate to have found a calling - to coach successful executives and teams to be more effective in leadership and strategy. The question I ask myself each day is “How am I making my biggest contribution to the world?” While all this is great, relentless pursuing professional excellence without calibration in life is not sustainable.
Whatever life brings me is a gift. It happens FOR me, not TO me. It’s always for me to learn.
This year, I am blessed to have the opportunity to be close to my daughter and father, and I am proud of my discernment to be present with them. I learned that what wants to live through me in life right now is not only my passion for my work but also my deep connection with my family and compassion towards myself.
Reflecting on 2023, what is your greatest learning?
Looking forward, what in life wants to live through you in 2024?
Thinking of you and wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season!
