Confidence trend and unstoppable determination
Several weeks ago, a conference left me wishing I was home alone, without anyone looking at me. I was not feeling very well, in fact, I could have been at the beginning of a really unpleasant illness, but I had not yet realized that I was sick. I just didn’t feel good.
The final push to leave the conference came after I sat down during the afternoon presentation, and in the process of dressing for dinner, I realized that I had brought everything but the DRESS that went with my outfit. Without him, the black pants just wouldn’t do, he needed the DRESS. Frustrated, almost angry and feeling defeated, I left the conference without attending the last night. He had just had too much. I have already done it.
I left after everyone else had gone to the dining room for dinner.
Later, with my phone ringing for text messages asking me where I was, I made a quick stop for a sandwich on the way and checked the text messages. One in particular stood out …
“Hey, I just looked at the desk when I couldn’t find you and they told me you left. Are you okay? I was hoping we could have a drink tonight after the final performance!”
I was already at the southern end of the city, on my way home, and was unwilling to drive back. I responded with a quick. “I’ll be fine. I just needed a little space. I’ll call tomorrow.” And tearfully, I paid for my sandwich and drove home. I don’t think I ever bothered to eat the sandwich. I was feeling too depressed at the time … I needed, really needed, to hear the words of a friend: “I was hoping we could have a drink tonight after the performance.”
You’ll see …
Throughout the entire event, I felt invisible. I felt like nobody really cared there. It had really felt like my presence was detrimental to the purpose of the event. And since I was not feeling well, I had allowed these negative feelings to take me away from the final event, which would probably have changed my mind. Why? Because my friend had noticed me and was thinking of buying me a drink with him.
We had talked before, but only in groups. And being a bit shy, I had been left in the background, allowing others to “make the impressions” and was not sharing my valuable message with anyone. I was holding myself back.
Two hours later, at home, I typed in the video that had been uploaded from the final part of the event and watched as the speaker told “my story” from his perspective. I didn’t know I was telling my story. He thought he was telling his own story.
He thought he was sharing the story of a man who did not feel worthy to share his message, because others were sharing the message too. The words he spoke were like spikes to my heart, impacting on the reality that we are all simply traveling this world with our own problems, dealing with our own realities, and none of us have perfected the process. But we do not have to accept that feeling of lonely and overflowing defeat that pushes us into a corner, when we do not feel recognized, recognized or visible.
Imagine for a moment if you looked around the room, behind the smiles that are visible and saw the souls of others as they really are … Would they be the confident person you see, perfectly selected attire, ironed and pristine, smiling? ? With unstoppable determination? Or would they be a broken and wounded soul, who accidentally left the perfect dress at home in the closet and packed ALL OTHER UNIQUE ITEMS for her outfit, and chose a different one for the evening?
Over the next week, my “not feeling well” required a visit to the Dr. and the realization that I had missed an evening of fun with a friend that would have meant the world to me. But more … Next week gave me a glimpse of a reality that shook me to the core.
I am more than the perfect outfit. I am anything but invisible. My life has meaning. I am a valuable person, with a message that no one else has received, and I intend to share that message. Whether there’s a room full of listeners or a table for two with a semi-polite stranger on the other side, I have a purpose. I can be sure that my message makes sense. And if I don’t share my message with other people, it may never be heard.
If you are allowing your message to be stifled because you think you are somehow unworthy, invisible, or not the perfect messenger … STOP. Rethink this process and rethink who you are. YOU have a purpose. You have a message. And YOU are the only one who gets the message you have, who can deliver your message to the people who will hear it. There is someone out there, at least one person who NEEDS to hear the message they are giving. They need you.
Fight for it. Overcome THINGS that could get you out of the race. Take advantage of some of that trending confidence, unstoppable determination, and get over the things that would keep you from delivering your message to the one person who needs to hear it from you!
Do what you’ve been sent here – share your message with confidence.