Angela McKay LLC

That thing you want…

Look at what you’ve done this week, how you’ve spent your time.

Was any of it focused on that thing you want? Not just thinking about it, or wanting it. But actual action, true movement toward it.

If yes, excellent. You must really want that thing.

If no, hmmm. You either don’t really want that thing. Or you don’t want to do what needs to be done to take steps toward that thing.

No judgement.

Often between where you are and what you want is courage, vulnerability, resilience, and grit. Those are difficult to say yes to. But if you say no or maybe to them, you go nowhere. Which, sorry not sorry, means you don't actually want that thing. Because to want it is to do what it takes. To want it without doing what it takes? That's just painful, hopeless longing.

You have choice.

Actively want it. Or release it.

--

👋 My name is Angela and I help practical successful folks lead the intuitive tuned-in life they are craving.

➡️ Connect for a 30-minute consult call to explore if Soul-Led Career is right for you. Schedule here: https://calendly.com/angelamckayllc/consult

🎙️ A NEW EPISODE IS READY FOR YOU

I did something different and fun this week!

Over the weekend, on Instagram stories, I asked listeners to submit questions for me to read on the show. I chose a submitted question and did a reading!

Another layer of fun… even though the reading is for someone specific, it taps into collective energy. Which means, there’s surely something here for all listeners.

The question:

"After the last 365 days, I am in a very similar position… laid off from a position that stressed more than fulfilled, same situationship, tired and stressed…what lesson did I need to learn to move into my next chapter? And, will that chapter start writing itself soon?"

I tuned into their Akashic Records, pulled a couple of cards, and here's what came through…

🎧 Episode 26: Your Next Chapter Won’t Write Itself

Spoiler alert: Your next chapter won't write itself. You write it.

➡️ LISTEN NOW: The Unraveling Achiever podcast: https://www.angelamckayllc.com/post/the-unraveling-achiever-podcast-episode-26-your-next-chapter-won-t-write-itself

You won't get rid of your self-doubt. Doubt is part of being human. And in some cases, it helps to keep you safe.

However, more often, it helps to keep you in your comfort zone. Blech.

While there is no remedy for self-doubt, there is an effective partner. Self-belief.

When you balance your self-doubt with self-belief, you move forward. Rather than staying stuck, stagnant, even miserable in your comfort zone, you take small and aligned action steps in the direction of what you want.

And I don't know about you, but I surely want what I want.

So, what are you supposed to do - wave a magic wand and declare that you believe in yourself? Well, you could. However, for most, that doesn't work.

1. Instead, you'll acknowledge your desires and your worries. Write your desires, write your biggest vision, without limitations. And then allow yourself to feel the worry, the doubt that will most certainly emerge.

2. With your doubt aired, start grounding your desires into your real life. We're going to wave the wand of practicality on your vision (there's wands for everything)…

- Pull a piece from your vision and ask what it looks like in your dreamiest world.

- Then look at your present day and ask yourself how you're showing up in relation to that dreamiest piece of your vision. That is where you will find your gap, your growing edge.

- With your gap identified, make a commitment to how you will start showing up for that piece of your vision, now, despite current circumstances.

Let self-doubt speak. But then let self-belief hold its hand and assure it that you can move forward even so.

Self-doubt 🤝 Self-belief

--

👋 My name is Angela and I help practical successful folks lead the intuitive tuned-in life they are craving.

➡️ Connect for a 30-minute consult call to explore if Soul-Led Career is right for you. Schedule here: https://calendly.com/angelamckayllc/consult

For 30 days I have committed to an intuitive practice.

With a short meditation that turns my attention inward and calls on my soul guidance and support, each day I've named what my soul is guiding me toward. And from there, I've identified a baby step - seriously, a tiny tiny action step - to take.

Some days felt more difficult. Days when my head was trying to drive. And other days felt more natural. Connected and in flow.

But no matter the state of each day, the consistency is adding up to movement in the right direction - my unique and authentic direction. Each day has contributed to a growing clarity about what I truly desire and how to step slowly toward it. And it's revealed the worry, fear, control that try to keep me where I am.

I want to emphasize here that this practice fits into my life. It's not separate from my life. It's integrated into how I see the world, how I see my direction. It's part of my everyday, practical life. I work, I parent, I make dinner - you know, normal.

And I've practiced intuitive living and working for long enough now that I can't imagine leading my life without it. I can still feel what it feels like to lead my life without an intuitive, authentic connection. And while I'm grateful for where I've been, I much prefer to lead my life in commitment to my unique direction, my soul path.

How do you know that your direction is -your- direction?

--

👋 My name is Angela and I help practical successful folks lead the intuitive tuned-in life they are craving.

➡️ Connect for a 30-minute consult call to explore if Soul-Led Career is right for you. Schedule here: https://calendly.com/angelamckayllc/consult

Want to use your intuition more at work? Here's something to try.

With each task, before or after each meeting, with each potential project or idea, notice what your body is doing.

Does it feel tight, tense? Does it feel relaxed, calm? Does it feel excited, expansive?

Take the moment to notice.

Notice what your body is communicating to you. That's data, you are being informed.

Tight or tense? Ask yourself why. And why again. And what you can do for yourself.

Relaxed or calm? Take that moment to be so present.

Excited or expansive? Ask yourself what is lighting up for you and keep pointing yourself in that direction.

Your body is a receiver and communicator. It stores your emotions (it doesn't create them, your mind does). And you can use those emotions as information (not decision makers).

In a world that is so focused on external leadership, I hold focus on inner leadership. You're more equipped to guide your life than you realize.

--

👋 My name is Angela and I help practical successful folks lead the intuitive tuned-in life they are craving.

➡️ Connect for a 30-minute consult call to explore if Soul-Led Career is right for you. Schedule here: https://calendly.com/angelamckayllc/consult

It's really easy for me to get consumed by achievement. When I set my sights on something, I'm determined.

If things go my way, great! Love that. And then I'm on to the next thing. (It's like a bank account where each new accumulation is set to $0.)

If things don't go my way, ugh. I continue to pursue, adjust, think, overthink. As intuitive as I am, I'm equally great at getting stuck in my head.

If I'm in head-space mode for too long, I start to feel disconnected from joy and gratitude. And the worst part about that? Joy and gratitude are leading experiences for a soul-led life, for following my soul path.

When you feel true gratitude in your heart for the smallest things (yes, the big things count, but not like the small things), you are tuned into your soul's energy.

When you allow yourself to follow joy rather than the well-grooved should-path, you allow yourself to align with the intelligent pulse of life - the energy that everything naturally evolves with.

We spend far too much time trying to work against or around the pulse of life. It feels awful, yet we choose it.

My quiet mornings are intentional. They help remind me of who I am, and that I am no more or less than a being that functions best when in alignment with life. It's both humbling and empowering.

I'm recalibrating my focus, tuning back into gratitude and joy. This requires me to be present, to be in my body. And I trust that it puts me back on my path.

When work feels hard. When life feels hard. You will find alignment in gratitude and joy.

What are you so truly grateful for right now? Think about it, bring it into your heart. Let your heart be warmed and expand with the gratitude you feel. That is energetic alignment. Feels good, doesn't it?

🎙️ A NEW EPISODE IS READY FOR YOU

Everything feels like pushing, producing, directing, controlling, forcing.

You've lost touch with intuition, receptivity, creativity, and flow.

And there's a harsh edge to how you're moving through the world.

🎧 Episode 25: Stop Forcing, Start Softening

It’s time to let go of control and trust the unfolding. To soften. Your creativity is waiting.

Tune in for three messages in this week’s episode…

➡️ LISTEN NOW: The Unraveling Achiever podcast: https://www.angelamckayllc.com/post/the-unraveling-achiever-podcast-episode-25-stop-forcing-start-softening

I once worked for someone who told the team that there were no stars. Meaning, none of us were to shine.

To further solidify the comment, this same manager implemented a rule that if another department had a request, they would no longer go to the person on the team that could help them (like they used to). Instead, they had to go to our manager directly. Our manager would then pass the request on to the respective team member.

This behavior was a sharp change. It didn't match the culture. And it was paired with other tactics to dim the team. It all reeked of…

Insecurity.
Control.
Micromanagement.
Superiority/inferiority issues.

It VERY much reminded me of the tale of the tall poppy.

Very briefly stated, it's based on the legend of King Tarquin the Proud of ancient Rome. As his son was taking control of a neighboring city, he asked his father for advice. The King demonstrated his advice with an action. In his garden, he used a stick to cut off the heads of the tallest poppies.

This established the deeply ingrained message that those who stand out will be knocked down.

In my story, the manager's rule that there would be no stars was their way of cutting down the tall poppies.

I could go two ways from here. The first route, further discussion about how you don't want to be 'that guy' as a manager.

The second, and where I'm choosing to place my emphasis: each of us, one by one, can rewrite the story and release Tall Poppy Syndrome. We can choose to not shrink, to not 'normalize' our words to fit in. We can start releasing the fear that we're too much and choose to not hold ourselves back.

We can choose to embrace who we are, what makes us unique. To be seen, to be heard. To not dim our light.

Where are you dimming your light to fit in? How are you not letting yourself be seen, either by others, or by yourself?

The further along my journey that I travel, the less interested I am in squeezing myself into the 'normal' world. I'm increasingly urged to come back to my true unique nature. And to help others do the same.

You were born to be seen and heard, to be free and fully here.

🎙️ A NEW EPISODE IS READY FOR YOU

Does your worth feel tied to your performance and productivity?

Do you crave constant recognition and praise?

Without external validation, are you left wondering if you’re enough?

You might have a career that’s built on proving yourself.

Signs you have? You're your harshest critic. You fear being found out. The work doesn't bring you joy.

You don't have to keep proving. Tune in for three messages in this week’s episode…

🎧 Episode 24: When Your Career Is Built on Proving Yourself.

➡️ LISTEN NOW: The Unraveling Achiever podcast: https://www.angelamckayllc.com/post/the-unraveling-achiever-podcast-episode-24-when-your-career-is-built-on-proving-yourself

Want to support your practical life with intuition for deeper fulfillment and greater success?

First thing to understand: while you will want to zoom out and tune in, it's not as complex as you might think.

Second thing to understand: it's not a practice that is separate from your day-to-day. In fact, it's given life through your day-to-day.

I will stand firmly and confidently on my soapbox when I say that intuition thrives on action. Your intuitive guidance is in a cyclical relationship with your real-life action.

Want something? Great, let's start there…

1️⃣ Set a goal for that something. Why? It focuses your energy rather than allowing it to scatter.

2️⃣ Do something. Take an action step toward that goal. It can be small. In fact, it's better if it's small. Importantly, you're going to take an actual action step. Not just think about something, organize your thoughts about it. But instead, a real action step.

3️⃣ As you take the step and after, notice. How did your external world react to it? What did your internal world notice about it? This will help you to determine your next step.

This is a process of focusing your energy, taking action, and noticing. Repeat.

It requires that you do something different - emphasis on do something.

Your intuition is your guide and gauge in this process. Your actions are what give it the data it needs to communicate your path to you.