A couple of years ago I was at a women in tech gathering organised by my employer, at the office. Afterwards I approached some of the speakers, as I was on the lookout for mentors.
I managed to have a great conversation with 2 ladies from different tech backgrounds. I still maintain contact with one of them to this day.
But there was a third speaker that was representing our own company. I managed to catch up with her after the event in the office. She told me all about her professional journey to that point and I did the same. We shared experiences and spoke openly about our challenges and opinions. Towards the end of the conversation, she said something that was a wake-up call for me – “you realise that you’re being a mentor to me just as much as I’m being one to you, right?”
This mental image that I had of a mentor was someone older and much further up the ladder than me. Someone I looked up to. Basically not me. And I certainly never thought that someone like that could see me as a mentor.
It was only from that point onwards that I realised there is a whole generation of people (well probably two by now) that can look at me as a mentor. And if this lady, with a lot more experience than me in many areas of life, could see value in my experiences, how much more could younger generations?!?
I soon realised that I have already, knowing or unknowingly, influenced people close to me. Hopefully positively. Hopefully powerfully! Only they can tell…
And so today I was listening to a podcast on my way home – it was about mental health and the power of affirmations. It was about how turning self-doubt into self-worth, especially in younger generations who have to face the future in a very uncertain world that is waiting for them, is crucial for the survival of our planet, of humanity.
And that was the moment it hit me. At the same time I was thinking how cool it would be to start getting involved in some youth mentoring programmes through volunteering, it hit me that I’m not a very good mentor… TO MY KIDS!
What do they know about my experiences? What do they know about my challenges, and how I overcame them? When do we talk about the future and what’s it’s like to grow up and make a life for yourself? When have I shared life lessons about career and purpose?
I spend most of the time I have with them organising their routine, getting them ready for school, ready for bath, homework done, ready for bed, teeth brushed!
But what about the stories of my life? When I spend time with my Dad (who’s 80 now), the most fascinating times are when he tells us stories of his life, experiences of his life!
Sometimes we need to stop and pause with the rush rush routine (weekends are best) and connect with our children, like we would with a young mentee, who wants to learn all they can about how we deal with a situation, in our personal or work life, so they can do better tomorrow than they did yesterday, so they can be inspired by our drive, by our resilience, by our achievements.
And, in the process, you get to celebrate your own victories with your biggest fans! 💛