Who Do You Think You Are?

Does this question ever creep up when you’re considering a bold move? Whether writing a book, setting a boundary, traveling the world, or declining an invitation, our monkey mind can chime in with this universal brake-slammer.

This smackdown keeps us small and hidden and dulls our light. It’s a way to keep us in check; to not get too big for our britches; to stay under society’s thumb.

Like any other inner critic message, this voice is your younger self who is simply scared at stepping out of your comfort zone. Our brains are wired to default to the familiar, so exploring the idea of something new makes your Little One tremble.

“Who do you think you are?” really translates to, “There’s no way I can do something like that.” If a child came to you with doubt that she was capable of tying her shoe or going down the slide, I don’t think you’d say, “Well, who do you think you are?” No, you’d encourage her, teach her, and support her as she learns that she can, in fact, do it.

Here’s a quick and effective way to silence the belittling voice: Simply answer the question.

“Who do you think you are?”

Well, I think I’m kind, driven, adventurous, compassionate, curious, tentative, eager, and so on.

When you answer the question, you not only address your innate fear of moving away from the familiar and putting yourself out there, but you also remind that hesitant part of you how much you believe in him or her. It’s like a loving pep talk.

So the next time you’re ready to step outside of your comfort zone and that question comes up, instead of ignoring it or pushing it back down, welcome it, acknowledge it, and answer it. This is yet another way to learn to partner with your resistance instead of fighting it.

I want to hear from you! Chat with me in the comments below and tell me who you think you are!

Until next week, keeping taking those steps to Live Out Loud.

Photo credit: A river runs through via Visual Hunt / CC BY-NC-ND