One Thing: Stick Figures

A playful exercise to illuminate what wholeness means for you.

Hi friends,

I’ve long felt a tension between craving stability and desiring meaning. During a leadership development program in 2018, I wrote myself a postcard that arrived months later. It simply said: “Quit your job and travel.”¹ Many people come to coaching in a similar place. Life is “fine” but they start to wonder…What if I worked with my hands? Spent more time outdoors than on screens? When times are turbulent, do you lean into stability or reach for purpose?

Stick Figure Exercise

This week, I’m sharing a playful exercise from Satya Doyle Byock to explore these parts of you. You’ll need a piece of paper and something to draw with.

1. Fold the paper in half. Draw a stick figure on each side — one to represent stability and one for meaning.

2. Name them! Mine are Stability Lisa “Hermione” and Meaning Lisa “Amelia.”

3. Doodle or write about their lives — jobs, home, clothes, travel, hobbies. Let your imagination lead.

4. Notice what’s similar or different. Give a percentage to how much each side is present in your life today. Are you happy with that breakdown? What might bring more balance?

I’ll share one of my insights in the comments, and I can’t wait to hear what you discover. Reply or drop a comment below.

Take good care,
Lisa

1. Four years later, I eventually did do this! It’s fascinating to reflect on how long I’d been cultivating that desire.