Time to read: one minute, five seconds
When you google "triumph image," you get a thousand images of this motorcycle.
I have no idea what it is, and the googles clearly wanted you to see it.
When I posted my story about the Moth to Facebook, I was struck by something a high school friend said. She posted, "I’m envious of your courage, I do not have any."
That got me thinking. Is it true that some people have courage and some don't?
I don't believe that for one minute.
Everyone has fear, and everyone is courageous. Many of you have told me about being laid off and then finding a job. Or learning to live with a chronic illness. Or jumping out of an airplane. Or saying no to a project for the first time because it doesn't align with your personal goals. That is courage.
Although the Moth event is very much about the content and telling my story, the deeper narrative is the triumph of joy over fear. I thought I'd pull back the curtain so you can see how the process worked.
1. Terror: I spent years dreaming of telling a story on the radio. Then I spent two years actively not clicking the "Tell a story" link on the Moth website.
Triumph: Finally clicking the button.
The lesson? No step is too small and no step forward is insignificant. Just take one tiny step.
2. Terror: A week before the Moth event, I tripped over my own feet and fell on my a** on the sidewalk while walking my dog.
Triumph: Once I recovered from the embarrassment and frustration of falling, I could see the wake-up call. I was indulging my fear. I decided to approach this event with joy and excitement rather than fear and anxiety. That decision changed everything.
The lesson? You can choose to indulge your fear or you can choose to embrace joy, excitement and ease.
3. Terror: Before the Moth event, I worried about all the other awesome story tellers and what everyone would think of me, especially if I told my story badly.
Triumph: I let go of the need to prove something, and all the pressure was released.
The lesson? You have nothing to prove. When you let go of that fact, you take a huge monkey off your back. You become liberated to step into your gifts.
And finally, when you move through the fear, you open the door for amazing things to happen.
What is the fear to triumph you wish for yourself? Write to me and tell me all about it. I love hearing from you.
With rebel love,
Christina