(Notes From FB Live Aug 29 2018 ~ Click to Watch)

Getting out of my comfort zone by doing a scary thing is something I have been doing most of my life. And finding creative ways to bring up my courage to do it! Like when I am public speaking often I will say “You know how they tell if you are nervous speaking in public to imagine the audience in their underwear? I tried that but it didn’t work because I was too distracted with all the Hello Kitty and Spideyman underwear!” It made them laugh, eased my tension and let everyone know that I was a tad nervous.

A few years ago I went to a workshop for learning how to do impromptu comedy. There was this tiny little Asian woman who was painfully shy and was giving it her all. I was chatting with her and asked what brought her to the workshop. She blew my mind when she said “I decided to grow by doing something scary every month and this is it for this month.” What a fantastic idea! Then I realized I do that too – just not so intentionally.

Like the time when I was at work and each directorate was tasked with creatively sharing our thoughts on the latest reorganization. I was in a group of introverts and usually did the presentation. I decided to stretch and do something scary and so I wrote a camp song and sang it! A capella! in front of 100 of my peers!! Terrifying! and I didn’t die! the very next week I was put in a potential career limiting situation and I didn’t crumble and was able to stay on my game and came through it because I had done that exercise and strengthened my esteem.

Even in my dark times with PTSD when I could barely tolerate being alive let alone being out in the world, I would put on my headphones and blare my tragic music and move through space other humans for the express purpose of building up my tolerance. And it works. Each time I stretch and do something scary, and I don’t die, it strengthens me and moves me closer to being comfortable being the real me. I would love to know your process to pull up courage and ideas on how to stretch and grow. Cheers!

#scarythings #courage #selfgrowth #ptsd #claimingwellness #brave #traumarecovery