Dear, Reader,

So, I have to tell you a little bit more about the specific thing that came up for me during my last sound therapy session. I already told you about the full body release, but I didn’t tell you what was happening in my head. I kept having this paradoxical feeling of wanting to be known. And also this intensely uncomfortable sense of not wanting to be noticed at all.

I kept pulling on that thread throughout the following week and realized this was nothing new. As a kid, I was painfully shy, compliant, and just plain good. I didn’t make waves, didn’t want to be noticed, called out, or put on the spot. I absolutely hated anything that made me the center of attention. Strange for an only child, I know. :)

Thanks to years of safe relationships with people who want to know me and who ask thoughtful questions as well as a career that forces me to grow, I’ve become more comfortable with it. Or so I thought. Funny how you think you’ve “handled” something only for it to pop up later as an adult. You know what they say - what you resist persists.

So I kept digging in and realized that the part of me that doesn’t want to be noticed NEEDS to be noticed. Not by anyone external, but by me.

That need didn't come out of nowhere. Like many “good girls,” I was conditioned to believe that I needed to think of others above myself period. Not that I could serve others AND think of myself as important too. And so I became comfortable with fading into the background. The problem with this approach is that it becomes your autopilot. You forget to check in with yourself. You don’t notice what you need. Which is a very different problem than simply being shy.

Here's the tie in to personal power. It's not just about confidence, boundaries, or being less agreeable. It’s not something you can fake your way into and feel truly comfortable with. It starts with something more basic. More specifically, noticing what you feel, what you need, what’s true for you before you override yourself. Everything else (the confidence, the boundaries, etc.) are a natural overflow of that.

So, take a deep breath of relief. You don’t have to pretend to be these things. You can truly become them and embody them by simply witnessing yourself.

If this landed, I'd love to know. Where do you notice yourself going on autopilot?

With you in the unraveling,

~Kara

DISCLAIMER: The content in this email is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional mental health, medical, or other advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a licensed healthcare provider or mental health professional with any questions you may have regarding your well-being. Never ignore or delay seeking professional help because of something you read in this email or on my website.