Real: Showing Up

So yesterday we talked about permissions and identified our “what” as in “what needs to be re-set”?

Today let’s talk about our “who”.

As in “who do you think you are?” or really who is it that needs a reset?

This is important because in order to get to where you want to be you need to understand who you really are.

In the Daring Way we use the phrase “show up, be seen, live brave™”. And there have been many times when I’ve convinced myself that showing up is enough.

It can mean survival as a tired mom, “I just need to show up and keep these kids alive”, right?

But when thinking about a reset, there’s usually something going on that’s not working right and it’s often because we haven’t really been “showing up”.

I don’t know about you but I know I have often shown up as someone else. As who others wanted me to be, as who I thought I needed to be, as someone posing as or trying to be someone I looked up to.

So I this is why I think permissions are key. Because we need permission to show up as our true self.

When we don’t we can feel like we’re just drifting along, caught in the current of life because we can become so overwhelmed with the noise, from every direction (media, news, friends, family, etc.) that it can become easy to forget that we are in fact the star of our own story.

That said we need to show up to our stories as OURSELVES. Yup when we can show up as our authentic selves we can really create meaningful lasting change.

Maybe you’re already showing up as yourself. If so, that’s great. I think many of us though don’t even realize who we’re “showing up” as until we realize that something just isn’t fitting right (i.e., a need for a reset).

I have some back issues. My car has been rear-ended three times in the last few years and that has really put a lot of strain on my neck and back so often my back feels a little “off”. So I go to my chiropractor for an adjustment, to get everything back into place.

Well life is similar in that when we are not living authentically something or things can start to feel a little “off”.

We may start to ask:

• Why do I feel so bad after reading status updates? Or
• Why do I SO not care about this when everyone else is totally freaking out about this?
• Why don’t I feel more satisfied with my job, it’s supposed to be a “great opportunity”?
• Why do I feel like such a bad mom all the time?
• Why can’t I just lose this weight when it’s so easy for others?
• Why can’t I just do it all like so and so?

Perhaps the answer is because that’s not YOUR story.

Your story is destined to go down a path that is in alignment for who God uniquely created you to be and when we allow others to narrate our story, there is a disconnect and that’s where we start feeling “off” or dissatisfied, disillusioned, stressed, not ______enough, etc.

Maybe others have created an identity for you. you’ve been labeled. And you’ve learned to live up to that label but that’s not really you.

You know. You know that you have strengths that are amazing:

You sweet friend who have undergone tremendous loss, you are strong and resilient

You friend who are struggling in a difficult relationship, you are patient and kind

You who are pursuing a long lost dream, you are brave

You sister who are incredibly talented, you are beautiful and enough

 

This month, let’s commit to showing up authentically so as to reset our lives and live our priorities according to what is truly in line with our story.

Assignment: Make a list of who you are, focus on your strengths. Make it a pretty list because you’re awesome!

Then write down who others (even your own negative gremlins in your head) have said you are. Labels that are not accurate. And put a big X over that list. Or better yet throw it away. That’s not you. Stop living like it is.