As I was preparing to write this blog, I pondered the endless possibilities of topics, but the one that kept resurfacing for me was fulfillment. I thought, what a perfect way to kick off the new year than to think about our own happiness and fulfillment and how to create that this year.
So many of us long for more fulfillment in our lives. But, the pace of our days is overwhelming, especially as we arrive once again into a new year. Like me, you may feel a sense of renewal and the new beginnings that come with the new year, and you may have big plans for some serious shifts.
But underneath, some of those old ways may be nagging at you to pay attention to them. You know, those old feelings of needing to be everything to everyone or that constant pressure to strive for more in our lives, to do more, be more, achieve more.
Sounds familiar? I am right there with you. Let’s face it; it can be exhausting to feel like you never arrive or that your life is one giant treadmill that never ends. And although we had plans to gracefully float into the year and be more in control of our lives, the world around us has different plans. And these plans could cause us to feel unfulfilled this year.
Here’s a new perspective that might help us flip the script and find more fulfillment: It’s called a TGIF mentality.
So, what is a TGIF mentality? Well, it is a common trap that most of us find ourselves in at some point.
Picture this: You wake up on Monday morning, crawl out of bed, the sun shining through your window, head over to the bathroom, and as you look in the mirror, you say to yourself, “I wish it were Friday!”
I’m sure you know you are not alone. So many of us feel like we are living on a giant treadmill. Go-go-go, do-do-do. So much so that we are already tired by 7:01 am Monday morning. Could it be the thought of our looming to-do list that sets us in a mad rush to get to the end of the week?
And then, when Friday finally arrives, we say it…TGIF!! Thank Goodness it’s Friday! Of course, we do; we say it every week. And so do our friends, family, and co-workers. Thank Good it’s Friday! What’s not to love? The work week is behind us; we have a little more pep in our step.
I am definitely not here to give you trouble about loving Fridays. There’s nothing wrong with loving Fridays. We all do! But the problem begins when it is more than just Fridays.
In fact, we are kind of living in a TGIF society. We constantly wish for the next thing, milestone, promotion, vacation, relationship….. SOMETHING to make us happy. But - when we get there, we don’t fully arrive in the moment and "enjoy.” Rather, we set our eyes on the next thing. It’s like our joy and fulfillment become a moving target – like our happiness is somewhere out there.
So many of us have wished for our happiness in the future. So often we say “I’ll be happy when “this” happens or when I get “there””. It’s like our happiness is conditional on something else happening. But don’t worry we come by it honestly. Society has taught us that success lies in what we have, what we do and what people think of us.
Here are a few signs that we are living a TGIF mentality, as referenced in my book:
Struggling to stay in the present moment
Wishing time away
Feeling as though life is a perpetual treadmill
Feeling pressured to do more, have more, or be more
Wondering if this is all there is
Feeling unfulfilled—and feeling guilty for feeling that way
Feeling pressure to be all things to all people
Defining success by external measures
Does any of this sound familiar?
It definitely does for me! I struggled with living in the future, the past, anywhere but today, until finally, I realized I was missing the life right in front of me. And honestly, this is all we have.
Being in a TGIF space can leave us wondering if this is all there is to life, feeling unfulfilled, and maybe even feeling guilty for having those feelings! It all gets down to striving for more to fill the void – we search for more, typically outside ourselves.
But what if….
What if we shifted our way of thinking? What if we could make different choices? What if we could love today and create lives we are excited about? What if we were not defined by what we have, what we do, or what others think of us? What if we strived for internal happiness, let go of external means of value, and focused on what truly matters to us?
Sounds pretty darn awesome, right? This is what a TGIToday™ is all about. So, how the heck do you get there? After years of soul-searching, coaching, and interviewing countless women worldwide, I have developed a solution called the TGIToday™ formula.
So, what is TGIToday™? What does it look like? It can be many things, but here are a few ways it can show up for you:
Being fully present
Living a life full of joy
Being grateful
Knowing that everything has the potential to teach you something
Accepting that the most important relationship is the one you have with yourself
Not worrying about what others have
Redefining success as just being true to yourself, knowing who you are and what you want, and going for it
Alight, so how do we get there? The answer is simple.: by looking at life and making decisions through the lens of the TGIToday™ formula.
Here it is!
Let’s break this down:
Purpose: Discovering your inner calling, uncovering what you are here on earth to achieve, and dedicating focus to living it.
People: Knowing what you want and need from the people in your life and being able to ask for it.
Pace: Understanding what is important and meaningful to you and spending time doing those things.
Power of choice: being empowered to make a different choice if something in purpose, people, and pace is not aligned with your truth.
Now you know the solution, but how do you apply it to your life in 2024? Here’s how:
Step 1️: Remember that you have the power to create a life you love. Take a few deep breaths and let that sink in.
Step 2️: Start small. Select one of the elements on the top of the TGIToday™ formula (purpose, people, or pace) and think of what you would like to be different.
Step 3️: Make a choice to do something different. Something that will bring you closer to living a more joyous life.
Step 4️: Repeat!
If you are looking for support in connecting with your TGIToday™, coaching can help! At WLP, we have an amazing community of certified coaches. Contact me anytime here to book your 1st coaching session with the WLP coach of your choice.
All my best in 2024,
Brianne Ligori
Master Certified Coach & Coaching Lead for Women Leaders in Pharma