The Observer

I saw a reel on social media the other day that did a really good job of illustrating our consciousness, the observer part of our minds. You can watch it here, if you'd like. 

One of the important things about recognizing the Observer in us, is it allows us to detach a little bit from the thoughts and feelings that can hold us back. We can believe things about ourselves when the repeating thoughts of imposter syndrome, shame, or self doubt run on a loop. Those things that keep us from doing the things we really want to be doing, or becoming the person we want to become based on our core values and desires.

The observer in us sees the loop. The observer reminds us that we are not our thoughts, and that thoughts and feelings, and therefore behaviors, are all changeable.

This brings me comfort. Yesterday, I was feeling pretty anxious as I prepared for a work trip this week. It even got to the point where I wasn't sure I could make it happen. The intrusive thoughts, the what ifs, played over and over in my mind as I went through my morning. 

But my observer, the wise part of me, knew that this was resistance and fear talking, not reality. I can't be certain how any of this will play out, but I do know that I have tools to manage the anxiety, that I have people who care about me and will support me when things get challenging, and that I've done this before (traveling solo) and I can surely do it again. The evidence points to it's possible and even probable that the outcomes are good. And the benefits of learning, growing, and connecting about the work I love to do far outweigh the risks.

Thank you, observer, for seeing the full spectrum of my human experience and helping to guide me in the right direction. I'm grateful for this knowledge, and I hope it's helpful for you, too, to show up bravely, every day.