Post-it Wall of Greatness

Shortcut to Self-Reflection Prompts

Have you ever faced the uncomfortable "Now what?!?" after you've achieved a milestone? You thought you'd ecstatic, but instead are fogged in doubt and uncertainty of "Is this all there is?" Then it's time to make a Post-it Wall of Greatness!

A bucket list is anticipatory, it shapes the future. A Post-it Wall of Greatness is celebratory, it acknowledges the past and present.

RE-CALIBRATING SELF-WORTH

Think of this exercise as a retrospective bucket list, a celebration of all the dreams, adventures and identities that you have already achieved. It's also a powerful reminder of all the grit and grace you already have (but forgot).

Be bold, be brave, and lay out your greatness for you (and for all) to see. You will feel a rise in self-worth and self-validation, which will liberate you from seeking external validation.

There is a tao, a middle way, a just right "Goldilocks Zone" for self-validation, which include

• acknowledgement - naming the truth of who you are
• celebration - sharing the truth of who you are with people who have earned the right to hear it
• bragging - declaring the truth of who you are to the entire world

For far too long, patriarchy has locked women in the gray zone of:

• humility - a command to stay small and silent
• low self-worth - a belief that one is inherently broken and/or inadequate
• self-denial - a conscious refusal of one's own greatness
• self-hatred - an unconscious refusal of one's own greatness

And when a woman rises in her greatness and worth, often (if not always) patriarchy will try to smack her down by labeling her in the red zone of:

• self-inflation
• arrogance
• narcissim

WALLS OF GREATNESS

By creating your own Post-it Wall of Greatness, as many of my overachiever clients and students have, you will:

• see yourself with fresh eyes
• remember your greatness
• raise your self-worth
• feel grateful for your unique path
• collectively put an end to the rule of patriarchy, and
• know deeper who you truly are. 

ELLANY'S WALL OF GREATNESS

I walk my talk.

1. If I died tomorrow, I have no fear and no regrets because I know I have truly lived

2. I started a business with no business going into business

3. Semi-retired at 33

4. I've traveled to 131 countires, on my own dime, and filled a 48-page passport long before it expired

5. I've had 16 different career re-inventions from aerospace, to banking to United Nations to spiritual coach

6. I've kept a gratitude journal since 1999 with 3 reasons to be grateful everyday

7. I speak 4 languages and know 7 in total

8. I have overcome every single fear I've ever had

9. I love flying: microlighting in Zimbabwe, parasailing in Costa Rica, paragliding in Brazil, handgliding in Nepal, flying a propeller plane for 20 sec in San Francisco, hot air ballooning in Myanmar

10. I invested $100,000 in my self-development and healing arts

11. I put $10,000 toward buying my parents a car

12. I integrated my inner feminine and masculine

13. I become good at anything I touch as an adult learner: figure skating (even landed a toe loop jump!), piano, knitting, sewing, aerial silks

14. I’m a certified Antigravity Yoga instructor

15. I raised my parents and younger siblings well

16. I am kind as f*ck, deeply empathetic and compassionate

17. I healed and maturated my 10 Wounded Child Archetypes

18. I detriggered my top 6 saboteurs and am free from their control

19. I always do what I say and only say what I'll do

20. I did 3-moon 100k/10/98 Retreats, 10 ceremonies in 65 days, and experienced Oneness

21. I tried Kambo and experienced The Void / The I AM

22. I tried Bufo and released decades of terror and trauma

23. I wrote a weekly blog for 5 years straight

24. I went to CTI's Leadership Program and experienced surrender for the first time

25. I did a ropes course with Diana and learned that I matter

26. I got certified in The Daring Way™ and got to meet my teacher Brené Brown

27. I completed multiple Hero’s Journey, multiple Heroine’s Journey, and multiple Liberator’s Journey
    

28. I survived bullying since the 3rd grade and gaslighting since 7th grade

29. I can bring a room full of strangers or leaders into tears with one sentence.

30. If you’re in my life, you’ll know more shenanigans and fun than you ever knew possible

31. When I sleep near you or in hour house, you have the best sleep of your life!

32. I am a channel for grace

33. I am clairscentient: I pre-feel what my clients are going through before they go through it or before they tell me about it

34. I am an HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) and HSS (High Sensation Seeking), at the same time

35. I am thriving as a gifted adult on the autism spectrum

36. I can finish Nintendo Super Mario Bros. 3 in one sitting

37. My best writing doesn’t come from me, but through me

38. I’ve heeded every call of the Universe, even when there’s no guarantee or reward

39. I have deeply touched the lives of my clients, by making them feel safe and know joy

40. I have a light carbon footprint (never owned a car, always car share or public transit)

41. I’m a minimalist. Everything I need fits into a 23kg and a 10kg suitcase

42. My energy and intentions are so clean, clear, pure and loving

43. I’m trustworthy and always the first person people confide their secrets to

44. With me, we can laugh so hard you end up in tears or with sore abs

45. I am en eloquent writer

46. I have a mofo soul with stamina

47. I made the top 20 under 20 list, the hardest list to get on

48. I have an adopted South African family, and seem to be adopted and beloved by all my hosts anywhere I go

49. I see the invisible and have an elegant and playful way to make you see it too

50. I read like a fiend

51. I wrote a 1.2 million word memoir

52. I have attained inner peace

53. I’ve never strived for fame, only for freedom, depth and meaning

54. Never smoked, never drank alcohol, never tried drugs

55. Wear no makeup, don’t die my hair, have only one lip gloss

56. Don’t use food, shopping, sex, other people or gambling to numb out

57. I’m super organized, I'd be a millionaire if that were my chosen profession

58. I have swam with turtles and dolphins, sharks, mata rays and see whales from a boat

59. I’ve ridden camels, elephants, horses

60. I have bought and sold 3 properties with $25k profit, 3k profit, 18k profit

61. I have earned six-figures in my business

62. I have earned $60k in 1 month of active work

63. I have earned $5k in 1 month of passive income

64. I’ve made $10k in a month

65. I bought my dream condo by the beach before turning 30

66. I have lived in NYC, Sg, HK, Rwanda, Spain, Argentina for 6 months to 3 years

67. I know how to cut pipes, rewired electrical, renovate a kitchen, change car tires, fix bikes, take apart appliances and put them back together

68. I won $80,000 in scholarships and internships by the time I graduated university with no debt in order to secure my family’s financial future

69. Every boyfriend I’ve ever had has declared “I love you” within 30 days of knowing me

70. I've been proposed to many times

71. I’ve had spiritual surgery

72. I survived the spiritual flu

73. I’m so on top of my budget that I always come under budget

74. I’ve defibrillated someone’s chakra just by passing my hand over it

75. I was asked to carry all the suffering of the world and die on the cross, I said no thanks.

76. I find joy in so many things, in the smallest things

77. My soul sisters are few, but they are the love moat that gives me courage to continue existing on this god forsaken planet

78. I remember some of my past lives

79. I love hopelessly and unconditionally even if it ends up hurting me

80. My nieces and nephews stole my heart, I didn’t know one could love like that

81. I once volunteered 1,000 hours in 6 months (that’s about 5hrs a day) while going to school full-time

82. I've volunteered with the United Nations, UN Development Program, Habitat for Humanity, Doctors Without Borders, Engineers Without Borders and many more non-profits

83. I surfed in Nicaragua while watching baby turtle eggs be laid and hatch

84. I haven't had a cold in 4.5 years

85. I am Queen of self-care and built a high metabolism with fast recovery time

86. Professionally certified as a coach through the Co-Active Training Institute (CTI) by age 30

87. Rotate through weekly holistic chiropractor, holistic massage therapist, holistic acupuncturist and holistic spiritual coach

88. I redid my own taxes and got $8,000 back in refunds that the family accountant missed

89. Created deep relationships and friendships no matter where I go

90. Have been interviewed on national TV and international media several times

91. Courage to live waaaaaaay outside the box

92. I cry as a sign of vulnerable open heart, not as a sign of weakness

93. I alchemize the suffering of the world into peace and serenity

94. I meditate daily and can easily reconnect with eternity

95. Moved my entire family to across the country all by myself (packing, logistics, school enrollments, buying new home, renovating old home, flights, you name it!)

96. Financially independent and living on my own since age 21

97. Lived a dream life in NYC, a stone throw from Times Square and Central Park

98. Earned a full scholarship for a semester abroad at National University of Singapore

99. I can sleep anywhere, anytime, sitting, standing, on a plane, in a chair, you name it

100. I have added peace, beauty, joy and creativity and compassion to this world, I have left it better than when I came

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
– MARIANNE WILLIAMSON

CELEBRATING GREATNESS AROUND THE WORLD

Digital Wall: https://theuncagedlife.com/50-things-that-make-me-awesome/

SELF-REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. Take out 100 post-its
2. First draw checkmarks on each of them
3. Then write an achievement over each checkmark
4. Stand back and be in awe of your greatness!
5. Bonus • Invite 12 friends over to admire your wall ;)

Here are some self-reflection prompts:

• Start with the straight forward ones: items in your resume, school or career achievements, etc.
• Then add dreams you've realized (big or small), bucket list items you've checked off, overseas moves you've made, etc.
• Then take a heroic bird's eye view and add: hardships you've overcome, leaps of faith you've taken, shenanigans you've be part of, adventures you've crated, etc.
• Then get people oriented: who have you met that remains a soul mate, who has taught you the most, etc.
• Then focus on your traits and qualities of who we’ve become: eg. I am f*cking kind, I'm a "body mover" friend who will come move a body if asked. I'm a captivating storyteller!
• What recipe are you famous for?
• What volunteer work have you done?
• What comes really easy to you (that actually don't come easy to others)?
• How many languages do you speak?
• What are the top 3 qualities that others always tell you about (one quality per post-it)?
• What are some quirky #random things we've done or studied just because?
• What's one or multiple Hero's Journeys you've been through?
• What's the best decision you've ever made?
• What's the worst investment you ever made, but overcame?
• What did heartbreak teach you?
• When you are on your death bed, what will you be glad you did?
• What have you not done that you admire about yourself? Eg. I never smoked. Never took any drugs. Never used anyone. Never hung up the phone on anyone.
• What makes you laugh about yourself or your perspective on life?

(First Published Jan 14, 2015)