Hello,
This is Lou Redmond and I'm so grateful that you are here and allowing me to share some space with you today.
This year,
I'm so excited to be back teaching mindfulness in schools.
It's been a while after the pandemic.
Three years ago,
I gave one of my first trainings to a group of 30 counselors.
I share more about this experience in my meditation,
Trust the Work.
The day before this presentation,
I nearly had a panic attack.
So much imposter syndrome and unworthiness surfaced and I feared I would blow it.
Luckily,
I moved through it and was able to make the trek down the following day.
Although my mental state was better,
The fear was stronger and it took every bit of courage to be with it and remember that it was growing me.
The presentation went well and afterwards I felt that glow that comes from doing what scares you.
As I was driving last week giving a similar presentation to three years ago,
There was a notable difference.
No strong nerves or fear.
Instead,
I felt at ease,
Relaxed even.
It was such a distinct difference that it made me wonder how I could feel so much fear three years prior.
While the circumstances were the same,
Clearly I wasn't.
At first I brushed it off.
I thought,
Well,
When I was actually there and people were sitting in their seats that the fear would come.
When that happened,
Sure,
There were some nerves but nothing like I experienced before.
I felt grounded and unattached to getting it quote unquote right.
I was surprised.
I experienced so much public speaking fear in the past and none of it was there.
What happened?
It's what happens when we practice expanding our comfort zone.
I have given dozens if not hundreds of talks,
Trainings and classes in the past three years.
Again and again,
I put myself in situations that flexed my overcoming fear muscle.
The difference I feel three years later is not magic.
It's the result of doing the work that allows my nervous system to hold more energy.
There's an analogy used in addiction about a frog in the pot.
If you put a frog in a pot of boiling water,
The frog will jump out because it's really hot.
If you put a frog in a pot of lukewarm water and turn the heat high,
It will boil itself to death because it doesn't feel it getting warmer.
While this is meant to discuss the slippery slope of addiction,
We can use this in a positive light as well.
If we repeatedly put ourselves into scary situations,
Three years down the road,
The fear pot will be boiling and we won't feel it.
While there was less fear for my presentation,
Consequently,
There was less glow.
The downside to becoming more comfortable is that we don't feel the thrill of accomplishment that comes after.
That's the sign to find our new growth edge and step into it.
I have another talk where I share this concept and another meditation where I share this concept called raising your energy field or raising your vibration.
We need to do the self-work that creates the body that can hold more energy.
Like adding weight to our workouts,
We need to add resistance to life.
We do this by seeking discomfort and putting ourselves in situations that grow us.
By doing so,
We teach our nervous system,
I can feel safe amid something I once feared.
That is transformation.
How can you work to hold more energy?
The easiest way is to do the thing that scares you.
As I've said before,
Being afraid and excited is a sign you're on the right path.
So go through the fear.
It's the only way to growth.
Wishing you so much support as you navigate the fears that come up on this journey.
I am here as a guide and as a supporting role for you.
So feel free to lean on me whenever you feel you can use a little spark of support moving through your path.
Let me know what you thought by leaving a comment.
I always love hearing from you.
If you'd want to join my Circle on Insight timer,
You're welcome to search Loo Circle.
We love to have you connect in there.
Sending you continued guidance for your journey.
As always,
Namaste.
