Level 03
Steadfast
From Maintaining to Meaning
You’ve worked hard to get here, achieving consistency, stability, and trust in yourself. But you might play it safe and cling to the security of what you’ve built, overworking to maintain the status quo or holding back from taking bold steps. Perhaps you’re not as fulfilled as you expected to be, and wonder why. It’s time to reflect on what really matters to you and experiment with stretching beyond your old comfort zones, to break free from the fear of risking what’s established that keeps you from big authentic, aligned growth.
is Élanoura’s self-discovery framework guiding women toward Living Intentionally, Fearlessly, and Transformatively. Each of the five levels represents a stage in the journey of growth, mastery, and meaningful impact, helping you understand where you are, what you most desire, and how to move forward with clarity and confidence.
You may be at the Steadfast level if:
- You’ve built security, routines, and results, but sometimes it can feel like your business is running you.
- You feel confident in what you’ve created, yet hesitant to step outside of what feels safe or familiar.
- You’re beginning to sense that the structure that once served you may need to evolve for who you’re becoming now.
- You feel the pull to express yourself more fully, but fear of standing out or losing what you’ve built can hold you back.
Not sure of your level?
Meet Your Spirit Animal
Elephant
The elephant symbolizes earned wisdom, fortitude, and a grounded presence. You have achieved a level of reliability, yet you are ready to explore new horizons without losing sight of what you've created or where you’ve been that’s got you here. Your journey is one of balancing safety with the courage to step out of what’s comfortable, starting to lead the pack rather than follow.
Insights to fuel Your Next moves
Our founder Erika shares the lessons she’s learned in this phase of growth beyond maintenance toward meaning.
Your Strengths
- You’re seen as grounded, reliable, and dependable
- You’re able to maintain structure and stability, perhaps feeling comfortable enough to hire support and build a team
- You’re financially or emotionally more secure than in the past
- You’re laying down solid roots, physically and/or through your work or relationships
Your Growth Edges
- You’ve been “on” for so long, you might struggle with turning “off”
- You may have become risk-averse and resist change, so as to hold onto resources you’ve amassed
- You’re hesitant to disrupt what’s “working” (you remember all too well when it wasn’t!)
- You may have some fear around showing up authentically
What you might be desiring at this stage
Being fully present without feeling the
need to keep pushing ahead
Permission to stretch safely without
losing what you’ve built so far
Courage to be authentically you
and what that could look & feel like
the shadow that can keep you stuck
Control
You’ve built stability, and that feels good, steady, and earned (”I worked hard for this!”). The drive for stability and consistency can turn into a need to control outcomes, people, or circumstances. This shadow emerges when you over-rely on structure, resist flexibility, or feel responsible for managing everything perfectly to protect what you’ve created. The fear of stepping outside your carefully built structure and being fully yourself, taking bold action, or rocking the boat can keep you from taking the next step. You wonder: What if I risk it all and lose what I’ve worked for? Staying safe feels easier than embracing visibility, authenticity, or growth.
Remember: Recognize where control is serving you versus where it’s limiting you. You can honor what you’ve built while still stepping into your full self. Standing out doesn’t have to mean losing, it can mean claiming more of who you are and helping more people because of it.
WORDS TO LIFT YOU
Your To-Do List
Dig Deeper
Download the guide “Steadfast and True: 3 Ways to Step Boldly Into Who You’re Becoming”
You have earned stability. Now give yourself permission to imagine what an aligned, meaningful life could look and feel like.
Explore Your Authentic Expression
Discover how to harness your unique voice to enhance your influence through Erika’s Brand Personality Archetype framework.
When you know how you’re authentic, you can let go of trying to show up as someone you’re not and gain confidence to express who you really are.
Stretch Beyond Safety
Identify one commitment, client, or habit that no longer aligns. Identify why that is, and what would be more aligned for you at this time.
Contrast is a great tool to get closer to what you want to welcome in next.
Schedule Space for Inspiration, Not Obligation
Block time each week to explore, reflect, or play without an expected outcome. This is where creativity and clarity return.
Follow your curiosity without worrying about productivity. Joy is a sign that you are moving closer to alignment.
YOUr daily MANTRA
“I am safe in what I have built. I release what no longer serves me. I make space for what feels true for me.”
Make today the day your next chapter begins.
More to Explore
6 Questions to Ask Yourself to Tap Into Your Purpose & Path
In his 2009 TED Talk, Simon Sinek introduces the idea of Start With Why. His core message is this: the people, brands, and movements that inspire us most lead with purpose, not products. They connect at an emotional level before anything else, and it is this emotional level (not practical reasons) that actually drives behavior. …
Why Knowing Who Inspires You (and Why) Is a Power Move
We often think inspiration is something external. A passing feeling, a mood, a spark we catch from someone else’s success or creativity. But when you slow down and look more closely, inspiration is not random at all. It is information. The people, brands, and voices you admire are mirrors. They reflect qualities you value, energy…
Explore Your Authentic Expression: Find Your Unique Brand Personality
Most people don’t struggle because they lack talent, ideas, or ambition. They struggle because they’re trying to express themselves in ways that don’t actually fit who they are. We’re taught to look outward for how to show up, how to lead, how to communicate, how to build a brand. But the most compelling influence doesn’t…
How to LIFT
Fearlessly be you.
The LIFT principles are tools and mindset shifts to lift you from one level to the next.
At Steadfast, you’ve built safety and consistency in your work and life. You are reliable, disciplined, and intentional, with structures and routines that support your goals. This is a time to fearlessly step into what fulfills you, not just what sustains you. The focus shifts from solidifying structure to loosening it, reconnecting with authenticity, creativity, and freedom. It’s about trusting yourself again and remembering you built in stability so you could live more freely, not live to maintain it.
You’ll know you’re ready to LIFT from Steadfast to Shining when:
- You’ve reached stability but feel a quiet whisper that there’s more.
- You catch yourself comparing your path to others and wondering, “Is this it?”
- You’re craving more creativity, meaning, or depth.
- You want to expand beyond security and do something that matters.
- You’re ready to experiment again, this time from a place of confidence, not fear.
LIFTing from Steadfast to Shining is about using your strong foundation to explore new heights. It’s an invitation to leverage your stability for greater impact and authentic self-expression. LIFTing allows you to step confidently into aligned growth without losing your grounded base, continuing to build a life that has deeper meaning for you.
HOW TO L-I-F-T TO SIGNIFICANCE
Seeking » Striving
L - Live your joy - take small steps toward what energizes you while building your self-trust muscle.
Striving » Steadfast
I - Intentionally focus on structure and systems that bring stability and consistency to your efforts.
Steadfast » Shining
F - Fearlessly step out of what’s safe, realign your work and life, and redefine success on your own terms.
Shining » Significance
T - Transformatively leverage your experience and skills to make your mark and expand your meaningful impact in the world.
