What Do You Do?

I was sitting here having a really strange conversation with myself, when a series of thoughts struck me. (Yes, I have many and intricate conversations with myself, and I’m proud of it! And so am I!) Anyway, I have recently been trying to language what it is that I do. (Feeling a line from the movie Office Space coming on...

In this mythical conversation I was having with a potential person who would ask me what I do for a living, I responded “I help people live more authentic lives by helping them understand and feel the interconnections of mind and body.”

Then I thought, “Why does that sound weird?” I initially told myself that it was a bit wordy. 

Reality Check #1: Then I said it out loud for flow and timing, and it took way less time than a 30 second elevator speech. I could also shorten it to “I help people live more authentic lives,” which is short and sweet.

Hmmm. Maybe it’s because it isn’t true and that it isn’t what I actually do or how I help. 

Reality Check #2: Then I thought about the various clients I have worked with throughout the years of my practice. I also remembered a recent conversation with a client who has worked with me for most of that time. I have been actively helping people to communicate with and understand their body-mind connections in various ways from the start. And, if you boil it down to the essentials, it’s all about helping people to improve the communication between their mind and body so they can have a better understanding of themselves and their true needs which is what living authentically is all about.

Nope. Still weird.

Then I thought it’s probably because it sounds a bit pretentious, a bit like a megalomaniac trying to sound humble. Or like an annoying attention seeker who is saying something outrageous just to keep the conversation around themselves.

Reality Check #3: But, I want to spark conversation. I want people to ask and to question, not to keep the focus on me, but as a way to get them curious about the possibilities. I want people to be curious about their own selves and whether or not they are living authentically. I want people to be engaged with what is (how is what I’m saying resonating with you), not responding to what they think they know (what body and energy work do).

Still uncomfortable.

So, I went back to my reverie, and to a recent conversation I had with someone I just met. She asked me what I do. (The standard question that I hate answering because I never know what to say). I answered “Good question!” I then followed up with “I’m a body and energy worker,” which is my most recent fall back answer.

That’s when it hit me. I answered what I “do” with an “I am” statement.

Why am I confusing what I do with who I am? That’s probably why I have a terrible time telling people what I do. I, like most people, have been trained to say my occupation as a label, and then call that label who I am. “I am a/an [insert label here]”. I was so unconsciously attuned to this equating what you do with who you are, that when I tried to separate it, it felt weird but authentic at the same time. (Which was probably why I truly despised answering the “what do you do” question, because I believed I was supposed to answer one way and felt I needed to answer in another way.)

And even more, when I was trying to describe what I do rather than label it, I was effectively thumbing my nose at convention. I felt uncomfortable enough to worry about what convention would think about my new way of doing things. In effect trying to find excuses as to why I can’t authentically express myself. (Peeling the onion...)

This caused me to wonder what it would be like if we all answered the “what do you do?” question with a description rather than a label that starts with “I am.”  How would you answer that question? Would it be a short version of your job description, or would it reveal how what you do impacts those you work and how you make a difference?

So, what do you do?