Morning,
You know, every person has their own mental picture of who they are, and what they can accomplish, generally all neatly wrapped up in personal boundaries and static impressions.
The problem with this is you might be laboring under delusions that are no longer true! Certainly, years ago…the way you viewed yourself and your own abilities might have had a grounding in reality. You knew you’d never lose your breath in a dash across the marching band field, you knew you’d be able to handle a full day at 6 Flags with nary a whimper, you knew what your body could do.
But as the years advanced and the weight piled on….and your identity became solely SuperParent or SuperSpouse or SuperCommunitySaveTheDayer, etc.,…..there’s a good chance you honestly lost the real essence of what you are truly capable of achieving.
I’m here to say you MUST NOT let your pre-conceived notions of your own personal limitations crowd your inner self. Sure, you might not be in your 20s any more, and yes indeed, the word ‘perky’ might have waved a hysterical bye-bye to you after your first child! 
But just because you’ve been SuperParent for the past 12 years doesn’t mean you should forget SuperSelf. Before you’re a parent, before you’re a spouse, before you’re a soul friend…you’re YOU….with your own superb abilities and gifts and insights.
Have you honored that lately?
During the summer, I was slammed in the face with this blindingly precious fact. I had taken my kids to see a revival of Fiddler on the Roof at a local theater. Now, back in the Dark Ages, I adored musicals and dancing and singing and simply enjoying the sheer sensual thrill of being alive. But in the years that followed, I neglected that aspect of me….I was too busy being a mom, being a wife, and being an entrepreneur to bother about such flighty things.
Well, at the final curtain call, as I was cheering in the standing ovation with the rest of the crowd, I realized….my gosh, I had forgotten to honor those joys that had provided magic in my life, all the years past.
I had forgotten to witness the magic, whatever it might be! I had forgotten to simply wonder at the beauty around me…I was too busy fulfilling my other life roles.
And then and there, I made a promise to myself – never again would I neglect this aspect of myself. I will make certain my kids never lose their ability to wonder at magic in their lives, be it voices that lift in song, viewing artwork that causes the soul to sing, or simply watching the early morning sunrise tint the clouds pink.
I’m pleased to announce that ever since that day (2+ months ago?), I have constantly challenged myself to uncover the ‘real me’ and the ‘real me’ abilities. I have slammed shut the little voice that says, you’re too out of shape to consider such and such an activity….and I’ve taken my kids white-water rafting, dove headlong into kendo/sword fighting, and even fought mock-scenarios in self-defense.
I might have ended up bruised and pummeled in some of the activities, but….I held my own to my best abilities and redefined just what I’m capable of achieving. And let me tell you, it’s ‘way more than I would have thought possible.
And that knowledge is something that helps bolster my confidence even more, for the days ahead.
So! I now challenge you, dear reader – are you set in your ways because mentally you view yourself so out-of-shape, you won’t even consider breaking your boundaries?
Has your exercise/get-healthy regime faltered because “you’ve never been able to get to a higher level before in your life?”
If so, remember, you’ll NEVER ascend there….unless you muster up the courage to actually try. Honor yourself and your hidden abilities! After all, you DO deserve the rewards.
Enjoy,
Barbara
ps – Do you like Fiddler on the Roof? If so, look at:
