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Martin Factor

Sawubona and Namaste: Be Seen Anew!

Updated: May 26, 2020

In last blog I wrote about two key insights that help to make career transitions truly transformational. The two insights are essential to re-branding, or redefining your career identity. The first, the subject for this blog is “I See me Anew,” the second, the subject for the next blog is “I See New Venues for Me.”


Self-discovery is a life process and inward journey and our self-awareness continues to mature as we do over time and experiences. We begin to look more like ourselves and perhaps slightly or vastly different to earlier self-realizations. The self-revelation impacts us in the most essential ways as it shapes our identity—i.e., how we see ourselves. In turn, our reputations and most intimate relationships with ourselves and others begin to transform as we bring more of ourselves to life.


We were not born with a user’s manual. In fact, one can argue that self-discovery is one of the main imperatives of one’s life. It is only when we come out of ourselves to see ourselves that we realize the joy and meaning in our creation. We take full ownership for our realization and for delivering ourselves through our lives to this world.


Sawubona & Namaste.  The most common greeting in the Zulu tribe is Sawubona. There are similarities between the word Sawubona and Hindi’s Namaste. Sawubona literally means “We see you, you are important to us and we value you”. In Hinduism, Namaste means "I bow to the divine in you.” More than the western greeting of "hello," these salutations are ways to enlighten the other person by communicating how important they are to you. They make the other person visible as they are with their virtues, talents, nuances, and flaws. According to Peter de Jager, inherent in the Zulu greeting and our grateful response, is the sense that until you saw me, I didn’t exist. By recognizing me, you brought me into existence.



In the midst of the uncertainty that surrounds us, now is a great time to invest in getting re-acquainted with yourself, to see yourself anew. While you may easily know what it is that you don't want to be doing, tapping into and fully appreciating yourself can help to build your confidence and resolve, and also help you to see new ways of revealing yourself to the world. This step is essential as it will help you to manage and navigate uncertainty and fear.


I see me anew: When leading yourself through your transformation its essential to appreciate yourself with clarity and authenticity. Taking stock of yourself to see the patterns of your yearnings, talents, values and special capabilities will help to sharpen your self-awareness while bolstering your self-esteem. Seeing and believing in yourself can help you to navigate next steps and keep you on the right path- your path- forward.


You can appreciate and re-frame key insights through the Me-nnovation transition process; Features and benefits of the process includes:


  1. Guided Self-Reflection: You will be guided through a self-reflection process that includes you sharing the story of your work life and recounting key experiences and accomplishments You will also complete various personal style and motivation surveys to appreciate your unique talents and preferences. These will be expertly interpreted with you. Self-reflection encounters will be fully explored to help you in the "harvesting" process, essential to drive personal innovation (Me-nnovation).

  2. Capability Assessment Report: The outcome of the guided self reflection will include an insightful career reflection and capability report. This report highlights your unique capabilities and differentiated skill-set.

  3. Provocative Insights: your holistic insights will Identify your hard-earned and generalizable capabilities as well as future potential; these insights do not pigeonhole you based on your past. You will see what you have to offer beyond your prior accomplishments and technical or industry knowledge and experience. These insights create degrees of freedom to pursue opportunities in a more expansive and creative manner.

  4. Resolve and Resilience: Your engagement in this process will help to build your resolve and resilience to continue forward as the process affirms you while enhancing the accuracy of your self-perception and self-esteem - it will validate your talent and potential.


Guided by an authentic conversation with someone who sees you, you will see how you can reveal yourself anew. Like a great sculptor that refines and uncovers more and more of the essential piece through the ongoing process of chipping and chiseling away, you will get to see and expose the finer distinctions and nuances that make you unique. In turn, the world will see and appreciate what you have to offer as wonderfully as we recognize the natural beauty of a sunset, the overwhelming wonder of the mountains, and the tranquility, power, and effortlessness of a waterfall.


About me:


My passion is to help people becoME. I have spent the last 24 years appreciating people in their work contexts to help them to grow, transform, and fully realize the full expression of their gifts and talents. Each person's uniqueness intrigues me and I thrive when I can help others to see and apply themselves in order to feel appreciated, valued and fulfilled. Namaste & Sawubona!



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