Summoning my inner shield maiden
Yesterday was a visceral reminder that Daring Greatly=Vulnerability. And that before you can even step in the arena, you have to battle the Anxiety demon and his more blood-thirsty cousin, Terror, who are guarding the gates.
Those guys weren’t messing around, either.
My first battle weapons (frequent breaks, exercise) didn’t even make a dent. When I hauled out my Second Level Weapon (meditation), Anxiety laughed and sent me leg twitches for half an hour. That’s when I blinked. In desperation, I tried my old habitual weapons (stress eating, numbing out with the internet), but those were ridiculously ineffective, and I stuffed them back in the garbage bin. Finally, I brought out the big guns–discussing my vulnerability with friends and family. That sent Terror scuttling, and Anxiety had to drop back and regroup. Already exhausted from the battle, I used some of my Willpower Reserves to make dinner (a great mindfulness exercise) and play a storytelling card game with my family (more connection, which Anxiety loathes). That, plus the Ultimate Reset Button (a good night’s sleep), leaves the gates free and ready for me to open and step into the arena today. (I exercised some more, just to be sure Anxiety didn’t show his face again.)
All this just to get inside.
But being in the arena is the only way to do the *real* battle… the one where I get to see what I’m truly made of, how far I can go, and what potential is left unfulfilled. This is where I’ll shine or be bloodied and beaten, but either way, I’ll have fully engaged in this thing we call life.