Pack up those limiting beliefs and move into your comfort zone
What a great feeling it is to toss that last moving box into the driveway, walk back into your new place, and realize that you have created “Home.” This is where you come after a long day, where your routines are established, where your kids frolic and where your dogs sleep curled up under your feet. After a long business trip, this is the place that you can re-establish your Zen, your sense of self.
After my last move, just a few weeks ago, it became clear to me that it doesn’t matter how grand the size, or fancy the landscaping; it’s the energy that fills the home that really creates a sense of comfort.
For me, it took a while to feel that sense of comfort, though.
Having those moving boxes anywhere in sight became like a pebble in my shoe. I could go on about my routine, but those boxes had me in a constant state of slight discomfort. I saw them as a sign that I still had my “stuff” to deal with. Tossing my last empty box into the driveway, I gave a celebratory, “Woo hoo!” The path through my personal space was finally cleared, and I could start to move forward with life. I was truly now “home.” The energy I needed to access was flowing so much better!
I remember when I first tried to “be myself” on camera; it was painful. You see, I had buried my authentic self under a heavy load of mental “stuff.” If I were to label my ”stuff” the way you label moving boxes, they would have read, Preconceived Notions, Low Self-Esteem, Negative Attitude, Lack of Faith, Ego and so many more limiting beliefs. (Any of those sound familiar to you?)
I was working hard on all the technical parts of my presentation--how to stand, project my voice, and so on--but trying to apply that knowledge on top of my “stuff” was just like trying to balance a ladder on top of a toy chest. I would climb up just a bit, but before long, there I’d be tumbling down, and I’d have gained a few bruises to show for the experience.
The tough work was not perfecting hand gestures or eye contact. In fact, that came so much more naturally once I unpacked my “stuff”! I learned that delving into “why” you have that particular “stuff’ in the first place is necessary. Then, you box it up and send it off to the proverbial dumpster. If it sounds like a bit of work, you are right, but it’s worth it. As each of these mental blocks is taken away, your authentic self starts to breathe in the new environment. You will appreciate your gifts and personal power as you might not have seen them before. Your comfort level while on camera or speaking will increase. You’ll start to feel more “at home.” Before long, you’ll find that you will start to accessorize with things like jokes, comments, fun stories and those unexpected pleasures that you can find when you are living in the moment. You will truly have a sense of your authentic self! You’ll be at home.
Sound good? Take step one in self-discovery today by finding a coach, therapist or good friend to help you discard your “stuff.” The world is waiting for what you have to offer.
Sandra Dee Robinson is an actor (including major roles on Another World, Sunset Beach, Bold and the Beautiful, General Hospital, Days of Our Lives, guest star on Two and a Half Men, Criminal Minds, Secret Life of an American Teenager and TV movies), TV host and product spokesperson. She founded Charisma on Camera media training studio and currently assists authors, life coaches, politicians, actors, and business professionals who want to build their star qualities and confidence in the telling of their message or they are preparing to establish themselves as an expert guest, or even host their own show.