Should you embrace your nature or push against it?

I've been reflecting on a question that keeps coming up in my coaching practice: should we lean into our natural tendencies or push ourselves beyond them?

As often happens, the answer is: a bit of both.

Let me share what I mean.

I recently talked with my niece Manon, who struggles with maths but constantly compares herself to her naturally gifted brother. For her, forcing herself into a maths-heavy career would mean working twice as hard for half the results. She'd be fighting an uphill battle instead of playing to her strengths.e35467v

Similarly, my natural approach as a coach is gentle and compassionate. I admire the "tough love" coaches out there, but if I tried to copy their style, I'd just be a poor version of them instead of an excellent version of myself.

But on the other side of the coin: I'm naturally an extreme introvert. If I'd completely embraced that side of my nature, Yoga with Clem wouldn't exist. I wouldn't be helping anyone, and my life wouldn't be as fulfilling as it is today.

So when do I "go against" my nature? When it aligns with my values.

I've done deep work to understand my core values, the impact I want to have, the work that fulfills me, and the relationships I want to cultivate. These values become my compass.

When I have to decide whether to push my boundaries or stay comfortable, I ask: "Will this bring me closer to my rich life?"

Last weekend, I went to a party (definitely pushing against my introverted nature) because I was with my partner and knew it would enrich both me personally and our relationship. But when the vibe got weird and it was too hot, I honored my nature and went home early to watch Squid Game.

So my take is: Push your boundaries when it serves your values and authentic goals. Don't force yourself into an inauthentic version of success that moves you away from your excellence.

And if you'd like to find out what your values are, there's a great free test on this website. You can even set your values as your phone wallpaper afterwards :)

Oh, and because I'm nosy: can you share your top 5 values with me once you've done the test? 😁 Mine are: Health, Peace, Family, Authenticity and Growth.

Om, peace 🧡

Clem