“She makes it look so easy!” or “He’s a natural”. These are comments often shared when we watch someone do something that we perceive as hard – public speaking, musical performance, displaying a creation of some kind. It makes sense for us to assume that because someone appears at ease doing something, that it is easy for them.
If you ask people who have the courage to put themselves out there – to be seen (and thus judged), they will tell you it is scary every time. They do it because they believe this is the only way for them to live authentically in the world, and because they know they will survive doing it. They have experienced genuine success and happiness as well as disappointment and pain. But what they have done that has helped them along the way is they have created a mental story (and other practices) that allow them take the first step, which is absolutely always the hardest.
So if you are willing to settle for comfortable and want to avoid scary, consider what you may be giving up – the chance for the rest of us to experience what is uniquely inside of you, which is something only you can bring.
“Whatever your daring is, however you’re trying to show up in your life, I think there’s something incredibly contagious and powerful about it. I think it makes the people around us a little bit braver and I think it helps us get very clear on the ideals and values that guide our lives.” Brene Brown
Kim, this question "consider what you're giving up" is an important question to sit with, and yet we often pretend it doesn't exist. What possibilities might unfold if we give ourselves permission to dare…..and see what happens?
Thanks Lynn. I agree that there is true value in regularly asking ourselves about the cost of 'not' doing something.