📖Turn the Page📖

I don’t know if you read to the end and this one was too good to risk it:

Which belief once protected you, but now confines you? (credit: James Clear’s weekly newsletter) )

Hey there, [FIRST NAME GOES HERE],

Last week I wanted to go for a run. My daughter wanted to go with me.

I was hesitant to agree (this is being generous. I like to run alone 😬), because, well, she complains a lot during these types of activities.

But she had some solid 6 year old persistence.

(I’ve heard she got this from me…but who can tell?)

So…

I agreed to let her ride her bike with me.

We headed out on the path near our house, a section of which is particularly flat so she wouldn’t have trouble riding.

Our adventure started out a bit sticky—in biking riding as in real life, she likes to be right next to me at all times.

I explained that when someone is riding a bike and someone is walking or running, if we are next to each other, there is a better chance we will run into each other.

She decided to believe me on this one and took off.

As she rode up ahead, I marveled at the way she all of a sudden seemed older, braver and more competent.

She came out of the womb a dare devil… but only selectively.

She was walking at 10.5 months and running immediately after.

As soon as she could manage, she was leaping off of any high surface she could climb onto.

But water?

She was terrified.

It took some very intentional and intensive lessons (most of which she cried before) before everything clicked for her and her fear dissipated.

Social situations?

She sticks by my side until she has observed what’s happening and can understand where she fits in (this is my interpretation anyway, LOL).

She’s cautious in as many ways that she’s brave.

Her bravery looks different than other kids’ does.

And this is something I will tell her over and over again until I get that eye roll and groan, “MOM! I know. I get it, OK?”

It took me half my life to get this: that my bravery can look different from someone else’s.

That saying, “this doesn’t work for me anymore,”

… and then actually doing something about it it, is also incredibly brave.

THAT THERE IS ACTUALLY NO UNIVERSAL DEFINITION OF BRAVERY.

This lack of understanding will keep you in place if you let it.

Don’t let it.

xo,

Meredith

ps. Do you have an “outside the box” version of bravery? If yes, when did you understand that it was different than what we are taught as kids?

pps. Hit reply and share this with me!

The 4 x1

Update about Content Biz: I’ve been at the Big Sky Literacy Summit all week with a client. It’s been an incredible amount of learning and getting to see literacy celebrities I’ve followed and cited in so much of my work over the past few years. I mean come on, I MET LOUISA MOATS! (I’m still recovering from this one, IYKYK)
Update about Coaching Biz: We kick off really soon! I’m putting together the best possible 10 weeks for these amazing women who are ready to dip their toes into content and copywriting for education companies. I seriously can’t wait to get started.
Tiny Brave Things: Y’all. I spent 4 days in a row spending all of my waking hours talking and learning. Whoa my social skills are lacking. And I’m exhausted (LOL). A clear sign I need to be doing more to be putting myself out there in person on a more regular basis.
1 to Grow on: Which belief once protected you, but now confines you? (credit: James Clear’s weekly newsletter) hit reply and tell me or do some writing or reflecting about this one!