D28 – I Know You Are, But What Am I?

It’s so easy to see how extraordinary people are, don’t you agree? On a daily basis, I am in awe of my clients and other amazing people around me. Just yesterday I was checking out a private Facebook group created to help a woman I know navigate her way through a triple negative breast cancer diagnosis and her ensuring chemotherapy journey. SHE IS AMAZING. While most people get angry, sad and owned by the devastation a diagnosis like this causes, she is #FightingBack. She is blogging about her journey, both ups and downs, and I am so impressed with her positivity and openness. Her attitude has literally rallied people all around her to support, encourage and love on her during this time.

She is heroic.

But, really, I see heroes EVERYWHERE. My daughter who struggles with ADHD and anxiety successfully navigating college, a friend who was unhappy in her job and took a chance and reinvented her whole life in her forties as she took a new position and moved to a new town where she knows no one… and a new acquaintance who grew up in a terribly abusive household and now fights depression and low self esteem to work with kids in the schools and make a difference with them.

It’s easy to see how amazing people are, isn’t it? But, OTHER people… not the face we see in the mirror every morning after we get out of bed. Not the tired face we see in the mirror after returning home from a rough day at work. It’s easy to see the greatness in others, but difficult to see it in ourselves.

I have come to believe that this is because of all those stories (lies) we’ve been telling ourselves since childhood: “You’re not smart enough, thin enough, tall enough, pretty enough….” Whatever your ENOUGH is, fill in the blank ______________. We all have it and it gets in our way.

I’ve always considered myself a positive, joyful person who helps make a difference in the world. I believe that my family, friends and clients would agree with this assessment. However, when I’m alone with the mirror, I’m shocked at the things that I say to myself in my head. I would NEVER say these to another human being, so why am I saying them to myself.

Those stories we have all made up as we’ve grown up are in our way. And, honestly, I had no idea how badly until I started this 100 day challenge. Being ultra aware of the conversations in my head has been, to say the least, eye-opening. These conversations are incredibly pervasive and there are many that I just thought were “truth.” Turns out, they were lies to keep me small and safe and I have no use for them anymore.

How about you? What are the lies you have come to believe about YOURSELF? I dare you to let them go. Distinguish they are untrue… REINVENT yourself as the best version of YOU… the one you’ve always dreamed of being.

#FightBack