Lately, I’ve been immersed in researcher/author Brene Brown’s work on connection, love & belonging and what gets in the way of experiencing these.
When Brene (can I call her that? I feel like I know her personally by now…) talks about belonging, she is very careful to point out that she’s not talking about fitting in.
By fitting in, Brene is talking about hiding who you really are, and following the crowd. “Chameleoning your way through the day.”
I get this. I’ve done this. I still do this sometimes.
Fitting in - being someone we’re not – actually gets in the way of belonging, because a true sense of belonging – that feeling of “being part of something larger than us” – can only happen when we are willing and able to present our authentic selves, flaws and all, to the world.
Yikes. That’s no easy feat. That’s hard in “everyday life” but it feels quadruple hard as a mind-body-life coach, because not only do I want to BE authentic, I also want to write authentically, on a regular basis, on the internet…..
That’s why my blog posts have been few and far between. It feels much safer that way.
But here’s the thing: There is a LOT I want to talk about. In fact, there’s a lot I feel CALLED to talk about. I have been coaching and training and reading and exploring for a few years now and I am feeling compelled to share what I’ve learned. I can’t keep it in anymore.
Why? Because I believe that what I have to say can help people. I suspect there are a lot of you out there who are living what I have lived and who are desperate for a way out of this particular version of hell. Your delicious lives are there, waiting patiently for you to make peace with food and your body.
So, deep breath, I’m setting an intention to share more of myself on my website and on my blog: More of my story, of who I am and what I believe, of other people’s stories, of tools that I think are worth trying out. I’m intending to be more courageous and to take the risk of being judged.
I got a nudge that I’m on the right track the other day, when I pulled the COURAGE card from my Soul Coaching deck. It reads:
Throw your shoulders back, step forward and take a risk! Be willing to listen to the beat of your own drum…. You’re a light bearer for others. Through your example, people find and act on their truth.
Do you want to discover a life more delicious than chocolate?
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh boy!! I love, LOVE, LOVE Soul Coaching Oracle cards..
Aren’t they a direct communication with your Soul?
A fellow Denis Linn fan
You did her training, Jessica, didn’t you?
I love you!
Thank you, Kate! I love you right back. Feeling all warm and fuzzy now
Hey – please pull a card for me and tell me what it says
xoxo
Kate: Surrender. “All is well. I surrender to my inner guidance.”
I can feel your excitement, Simone. This is a well written and authentic post. I look forward to reading more soon!
Thanks Gail! You have helped me summon up this courage – thank you my friend!
I love this post!
I have been thinking a lot along the same lines lately, when I’ve been finding myself holding back, writing drafts that never gets published, never starting to write that e-book I’ve been planning to.
I wrote a post about this, from the viewpoint of perfection (this is where I’m struggling), but I think the hard emotion is the same: fear.
Here is the post, if you’re interested:
http://www.thefreedomexperiment.com/2011/10/24/the-power-of-perfection-and-why-youre-not-living-laughing-letting-go/
I’m looking forward to read more of your writing!
Hi Marthe,
Thanks for sharing your blog post. Perfectionism is so incredibly pervasive… Yay you for being willing to explore it a little bit. I am definitely doing the same thing and discovering what you are discovering too – that beneath the perfectionism is fear. Deep breath…. I’m learning to handle the fear thing… I’ll be writing about that soon
Simone