Think.
Think back farther than you’ve ever thought before.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind?
Is it something that you’re proud of? A first moment like never before?
Or is it an embarrassing moment? Something you would rather keep to yourself than tell to a group of people.
It’s probably difficult for some of us to keep what we’ve done wrong or what we’ve failed at behind us.
I know it’s sometimes a struggle for me.
All I can remember are the bad things.
The failures, the times I’ve embarrassed myself, even the times that I’ve envied what other people can do.
It’s difficult to try and remember that I can be good at things.
That I can actually do something nobody else can.
But then I remember.
I remember all of those times that there was someone else.
Someone else bigger than me.
Someone else better than me.
I get discouraged.
Okay maybe a little more than discouraged……
I back out. I stay quiet. I don’t try to do what I want to.
I’m afraid that there will always be someone there to one up me.
Someone there that can do it better.
I don’t want that.
I don’t want to seem bad at something I love so much.
So what else can I do but sit.
Sit and watch as those other talented kids show what they can do.
I wonder.
Can I be like them?
Can I really do something so amazing?
Do something that could make me proud?
Something that could make my family and friends proud?
No…
I can’t do that.
I get discouraged.
I back down, I back away.
I’m not cut out for this. I can’t do what others can. I can’t live up to what will be expected of me.
Time passes.
I’m no longer that shy little girl.
Maybe I can try doing that…
Maybe I can put myself out there.
Maybe I can show that I’m more than that kid in the back of the class. That awkward girl that knows nothing but studying and what happened on the latest television show.
Maybe I can try something new…
But what if…
What if I can’t?
What if I don’t live up to expectations?!
What if I’m not good enough?
What if……
All of those ‘what if’s,’ all of the anxiety and fear that I won’t do what others expect of me……
What if…
I let them go.
What if I overcome my fear of not pleasing others and please myself instead?
What if I can actually feel good about the things I do?
What if I can feel proud that what I did was what I wanted to do?
What if……
What if I let those ‘expectations’ go?
What if I do something to please myself instead of trying to live up to what people want me to be?
I know I could do it!
I know I could at least give it a try!
I could kick those voices telling me that I can’t to the side.
I could live up to my own expectations instead of others.
I could…
Be myself…
See how quickly that can change.
How all of those ‘what if’s’ can change to ‘I could,’ or ‘I can?’
Don’t let what others see you as hold you back.
Don’t let what others think of you stop you from what you want to do.
What if…
You could just be you?