| Recently, a colleague walked into my office looking refreshed. He had a great tan, relaxed physical demeanor, and big smile—but he hadn’t gone on vacation. I asked him, somewhat enviously, why he seemed so at ease. "I started playing baseball in 'an old man’s league'," he said with a grin. “When we were kids, we had many activities that we enjoyed,” he continued. “As you get older, you have more commitments. Work, travel, kids’ school and athletics and activities, time with your spouse, and so on. You lose sight of yourself because you are focused on everyone else.” This struck a chord. A while ago, I created something called "Brand You," which helps individuals build their confidence in the value that they bring, while aligning their walk and talk. This methodology is always on my mind, so I couldn’t help but reflect on whether my colleague had a really important lesson to share with brand-builders. His story begged the question: Have our lives become only two-dimensional—work on the one hand, family on the other, and never the twain shall meet? What kind of un-dynamic people does that make us? I began to wonder if our professional lives—perhaps even our entire personal brand—might have greater dimension if we spent more time doing the relaxing activities we genuinely enjoy. So I launched an informal study of colleagues and friends. I asked each of them if the status quo of work and family (each relegated to its own sphere) was enough to bring their personal brands to life—to differentiate them from others in the same field. I heard things like this: “I get a lot of personal enjoyment from my job and my family. Being a parent and spouse is still work , though.” “Constantly being the ‘mom' at work and at home is exhausting. Trying to make everyone else's lives easier leaves nothing for you.” “Being with the kids and having fun is great, and it adds dimension. But doing something for myself to continue learning, developing, and evolving is important.” “Having an escape from responsibility and feeling like a kid again is refreshing and it gives me a way to let go of the stress of work and family.” Which of these people would YOU engage with because of their electric dynamism? More than likely, the ones with a sense of exploration and personal growth. Unfortunately, though, many of us miss the boat on this. We get sucked into routines that never give us room for enrichment. That's why I put together these 5 ideas for how you can add dimension to your personal brand—not only to improve your storytelling and build a following, but to give yourself new perspective on life, business, and success. Read on at earlytorise.com: How to enrich your brand in 5 easy steps... | 