Back in December, I talked about life as if it were a snow globe; the world shaking things up for us to plow through and shoveling our own paths to reach our own definition of success. A lot of times, staying on top of the storm makes paving our way easier… less slippery, with our targets more visible.
But what happens when you exclude yourself from your world, the swirling dome, around you? Instead of feeling the storm blowing all around you, you put up a shield around yourself, your very own protective bubble, and you feel, well, nothing. Now there’s no chance of meeting other people shoveling their sidewalks, nothing to clear a path for, it becomes a sort of void for your senses. Sounds kind of awful, doesn’t it? But the truth is, so many people, myself included, build this kind of false protection, a bubble, that also prevents us from finding our way to fulfillment, greatness, and truth. It strips away our ability to overcome obstacles and grow from them. There truly is no way to become the person we were born to be while shutting out every potential opportunity to clarify our intentions, strive for the courage to commit, and have the confidence to be you.
The Bubble Inside a Dome
The snowstorm in our domes can be brutal sometimes and seriously derail us. I know, because in my early years I had constructed the most amazing camouflaged personal bubble to exist in, and it only showed others what I wanted them to see, but the main purpose for my bubble was for me to hide inside it. I wanted to blend with the world around me while escaping confrontation and getting hurt. But in reality, I had trapped myself in without giving myself the chance to find out who I was. I had negative, self-defeating thoughts and beliefs of myself that were formed early on. I had shut others out and at 20 years old, didn’t know how to be in a real relationship or know what brought me joy.
But eventually, I realized I didn’t like being invisible. I didn’t like going through life stuck in my fears or missing out on opportunities. I didn’t want to feel anything while I watched the wonder of sparkling snowfall all around me. I no longer wanted to simply exist and merely survive the intermittent storms. I wanted more; I wanted to be seen and I wanted my life to matter. So, as I watched as strangers and loved ones alike started thriving, I did too. Are you ready to break free of the restrictions you have put upon yourself? Are you ready to brave your life fully? If so, it’s time to break the glass.
Feel, Touch, and Explore
Once freed from my self-made bubble inside the dome, I could feel snow as it danced along my skin. I could hear the wind whispering comforting melodies to me and I could understand the sweet wisdom the winter whipped through my mind. I no longer blended in for the sake of escaping life itself. My senses were overloaded with a new appreciation for bravery I didn’t know I had inside me. The bravery allowed me to be vulnerable. To be noticed.
Others could see me, hear me, and invited me to explore the world with them. I hungrily accepted and started to want more. Of course, I fell on the way, scraped my knees, and cried, but I was alive, and most of the time, it ended with a new understanding and a deeper sense of who I was. I choose to see what gifts I was given, the sunny note that I could take away. In fact, so much light was shining through that the snow in my globe melted. In my 40s, I now see myself and how I affect the world around me. I was becoming a master of my future by overcoming my fears and letting go of my past.
Setting My Own Swirl
At some point, I got clearer on what was my path, my purpose, and let that help me to decide about which invitations/opportunities to accept. I started setting my own boundaries without guilt, making them easier to enforce. The more thoughtful the decision, the better I felt about making them and the better I felt. I was at the helm of my own life. That very barrier within my snow globe where I had been hiding was gone. Now, I sat at the center, smiling at the flakes as they came at me. I could direct them with no shame or guilt, or the gut-feeling to hibernate. I felt in control. I was in control of how I reacted. The more I practiced, the less overwhelmed I felt about the storm – the less they actually felt like storms.
I am at the point in life I feel like I can weather any storm within my globe. Life can surprise you, and at any time a new storm might come your way, but for me, the power was understanding how to move through it with grace and confidence of me. The more I hid from myself and tried to avoid, the longer the storms lasted. Today, the majority of the time the snow swirls, it’s because I am the one that shook my globe. I am the one that decided it was time for another skill to attain, another goal to achieve, and a new level of fulfillment to strive for.
You too can set your own swirl – but first, you have to smash the glass and come out of hiding.
The world has been waiting for you!
