The Day I Became Free
I remember the day. I don’t remember all of the details but I clearly remember the moment. It was like an out of body experience. I could see me giving myself a pep talk.
It went like this.
“Today is your last day of being invisible. Today, you will speak up. Today you will be funny. Today, you will come out of your shell and be known. Today you will say more, do more and be more.”
It was the end of my junior year of high school. Up to that point, I had pretty much kept to a few close friends. Speaking up wasn’t my thing. I was one of the quiet smart kids. Yeah, there were a few moments where I spoke up but it felt awkward so I didn’t do it much. Confidence was 2.5 on a scale of 10. Maybe I was hard on myself. I don’t know. But, it felt like I just blended into a sea of boring. I shrunk to keep the sea calm and didn’t want to rock the boat.
But, there was something inside that continued to tell me that there was more. It was telling me that I could BE more! So, that day, I sat in my room and made a conscious choice. I would no longer hide!
And so, I spoke. I cracked jokes. I interrupted and even disrupted. That first trip to the principal’s office was a victory. I’d made a joke in class just to get everyone to laugh. The teacher had been trying to maintain control of the classroom and I wasn’t following the program. I’d become (gasp) a rule breaker!
The principal looked at me with a smirk.
“Why are YOU in my office?”
I told him.
“Cut it out,” he said as he chuckled and sent me back to class.
It wasn’t much. But, the message came through. I didn’t have as much to be scared of as I had thought. I could be bolder. I could be freer. I could take some more chances.
I remember that day quite often. Whenever I come up against a moment in my life where I doubt, I remember making a deliberate choice. I smile as I think about the intentional process of stepping forward. So much of what we do is by choice. For me, even the trait of being shy or reserved was a choice. But, something told me there was more. And I wanted more. I wanted to influence. I wanted impact. I wanted to make a difference. So, I had to choose to BE more.
For a very long time, it felt like I was the only one having this conversation in my head. It took me decades to realize that this was simply a HUMAN conversation had by most. Many people accept being less because it’s the comfort they know. But, they have a choice. You have a choice. For me, that “day” helped me to learn I could choose to be free. But, it continues to teach me that I must empower others to find their freedom as well.
So…today is your last day of being invisible!
I’m running a 21 Day Writing Challenge in my Speak Write Now Community. This post is Day 2. Interested in writing with me? Join here: http://www.speakwritenow.com/21daywritingchallenge
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About The Author
My name is Robert Kennedy III. I’m a professional speaker and author. I speak and write mainly about leadership and communication. Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook or on my website, RobertKennedy3.com
