Once in a while, open authentic conversations with friends who are also open minded and authentic draw our key insights from myself (that’s why it’s important to have positive people around you, but that’s another story for another day.

I used to be very tentative and over-think, slink back, when activities come out that involve more “extrovert qualities” or putting myself “out there”. Recently, I received some coaching in an experiential course that help me see where that was holding me back and not aligned with what I wanted to achieve for areas in my life important to me. She asked what had worked since energy in the team activities was visibly higher when I usually look quite deflated.

I said the first thing that came to my mind:
“It still fazes me, but it doesn’t stop me.”

(This is one of those instances when you say something, and suddenly seem to look at yourself from the outside in as a third party, seeing things more clearly.) It doesn’t have to stop me. I won’t change into someone else extroverted, which is why it still fazes me. But what matters is that it doesn’t stop me.

And if it does stop me next time – the next time I withdraw and pass ok the opportunity to take part in life?

Then I pick myself up again. Because what matters is that it doesn’t stop me.