Step into Your Power: Show Up
I was getting ready for work one day. Just out of the shower, face washed, makeup applied, I stood up from my vanity stool. Getting ready to blow dry my hair, I made eye contact with myself in the mirror. I was saddened by what I saw. I looked tired, worried, anxious, and small.
I had a lot on my mind. I was about to go on a business trip the following day, while working on finalizing my book that is launching in a few months. At the same time, I was relaunching my business, on the same timeline, and working on social posts, articles, basically trying to be credible and trustworthy. It was a lot, my plate overrunneth.
I’m a big listener to inner whispers, i.e. gut instinct, these days. That little voice that isn’t really a voice, it’s more of a faint idea that’s barely a thought - so soft, almost as if it’s not your conscious mind giving it to you. When I have been attentive to those whispers, they’ve changed my life. A whisper once told me how to get through one of the most difficult times in my life, and that led me on a path to physical and mental healing. A whisper then told me to write to my late mother, a habit that quickly turned into a memoir and my first book. And this day was no different. This time, the whisper was louder, and it said:
”Show up.”
Without a thought in my head, I stood up taller. My shoulders, which had long been rounded forward in a stressed-out posture, finally rolled back. I felt the strength rush into my arms and, without missing a beat, a thought shot through my mind: ‘Welcome to the gun show, bitch.’ The look on my face morphed from stressed to fierce. I smiled. This wasn’t just a physical shift; it was a revolution.
I had arrived in my day, with a new attitude. I felt amazing. I had mindfully arrived in my body, and into what I know to be true: I was about to kick the day’s ass. I took note, and decided that this would be how I would always remember to step into who I am, what I’m capable of, and how I want to work and play. I would show up for myself, no matter how I felt, and it would show in my physical being. I would remember to tell myself, “Show Up!”
So, what exactly does it mean to “show up”, and what are some real actions we can take to do so? Here’s one way to go about it.
Your Body Knows the Truth: How to Ground Yourself in an Instant
We live all up in our skulls, day in, day out. The reason mindful practices such as yoga, meditation, or just daily mindful living are so very powerful. They are all designed to bring your consciousness down out of your brain and into the rest of you. Why? Because your body knows nothing but the present moment. That is, until your brain starts parking thoughts, feelings, and all manner of issues in your tissues. All those areas of tension, holding, aches and pains are stories that your body is holding. And your brain deposited them there. That’s where they’ll stay until we work them out, and we have to get into the body to do so.
The easiest way to do that is through the breath. The very reason you are alive is because of your breath. Paying attention to the breath, by simply noticing it, as in thinking, “I am breathing in….I am breathing out.” Boom. That’s mindfulness.
But I encourage you to try my “Show Up!” Technique. It helps if you stand in front of a mirror. Start by standing as you feel. Maybe you’ll cross your arms, or your shoulders will be rounded forward, your belly tight and holding. Notice the look on your face. Say, “Show Up!”, either out loud or to yourself and watch what happens. Roll your shoulders back, ball your fists. “Welcome to the gun show, bitch.” Plant your feet. Stand tall. Arch your back–feel the power surge up from your legs, through your core, and into your heart. Look into your own eyes. Get fierce. This is your battle stance.
Your 4-Step Show Up checklist:
Realize Your Own Worth: you already ARE what you aspire to be.
Remember to Honor Your Scars: every victory, failure, and trauma made you a warrior.
Embrace and Activate Gratitude: Find one thing to be grateful for to shift your focus from lack to abundance.
Embody - Choose Fearless: Step out the door and move with the intentionality of a woman who has nothing to lose.
Ah, there you are. That’s the real you. The kick-ass warrior who has been through all kinds of crazy chaos, victories, failures, physical ailments, grief, loss, traumas.
There you are: standing strong and tall. You’ve just stepped into yourself, your power, your wisdom. Time to step into your day: mindful and present. You’ve done the work, you’ve claimed your power, and the warrior has arrived. Now, go kick the day’s ass.
-LC
