Embrace Your True Self: Overcome Comfort Zones & Social Conditioning
12 empty chairs…water bottles, manuals, name tags, and pens. It begins.
12 individuals enter, each destined to move to a new level. A level defined as Champion. The silence is deafening as the class begins. It is always interesting to witness adults immediately thrown out of their comfort zone. Will this group show up?
The question we have to ask ourselves is why do we live in confinement? In our self-imposed comfort zone. Little kids play big, all in, with no fear. When did we learn to play small? Who taught us that? Was it middle school, high school, our parents, our siblings, society, or our own self-talk?
Was it when things shifted and the other teens or preteens turned judgment toward us? Or was it in adulthood as we witnessed who we “should” be, what we “should” say, how we “should” act?
Years ago, in my mid-thirties, my sister asked me to pick up my young nephews from swim class. When I got to the pool, I noticed a couple of her neighbors sitting in chairs on the sideline. I didn’t know them well but had met them on more than one occasion. Four women sitting together. I wandered in and took a seat next to them to wait for the lesson to end.
The women paused, looked over at me, and moved. They got up – in unison – and moved to another set of chairs. Wow. I can literally remember what I was wearing, the time of day, the weather … it locked in. Without words, but with action, these women made it clear that I wasn’t what I “should” be, or didn’t look how I “should” look. I wasn’t enough.
It stuck.
They taught me to play small.
As adults, we are hit with life – it’s ups, downs, adversity, hardships, hurts and instead of celebrating milestones and pushing through judgments. We fear rejection, we fear getting hurt, let down or disappointed.
It took me years to learn the new truths.
Other people’s thoughts or opinions don’t define you.
Your past doesn’t define you.
Your negative self-talk doesn’t define you.
So, the question becomes, who are you? Do you know? Or, who have you become? Are you who you want to be? Are supposed to be?
What would happen if we woke up? What if we played outside of our comfort zone? And what if we took it one step further and embraced the uncomfortable? What if we even chased the uncomfortable?
It’s time to wake up. It’s time to play big … BIG. BOLD Class 2029 is about to go there. Their time is now.
Time to own your truth. To stand in your truth. Stand for who you are. Live outside of the box.
What do you stand for and how do you show it?
It’s been said that it only takes 3% of any population to create change…to reach critical mass. This world is waiting for champions, this world is waiting for change. To create change you must play big. The world is waiting for us.
Bold: Advanced Leadership Class 2029
Driven Leadership
drivenleadership.com
Deb Bostwick
Staff Blogger
