During lockdown I’ve been taking my daughter out for driving practice.
She’s doing really well now, and I can’t believe it was only a few short months ago that we drove round and round the local village car park (totally empty!) – stop, start, stop – trying to get up to second gear!
She’s driving confidently at speed now, and learning new things every time.
How to overtake, how to deal with roundabouts and pedestrian crossings – always learning how to deal with the unexpected.
One thing that I notice, and remember painfully from my own early driving experience….
She’s scared to hold up other traffic.
It she sees a car close behind her, she feels the need to speed up, or feels terribly anxious.
When joining a roundabout she might dash across even when I’d probably wait – because she doesn’t want the traffic behind to get cross with her.
I see now this is about
Taking
Up
Space.
Being OK with who you are (in the car or anywhere else) and not being swayed off course because of other people’s expectations of you.
This reminds me of how we can feel in business too.
Hesitant, unsure, nervous of sticking our heads above the parapet.
“We unconsciously make ourselves smaller than we really are.”
As I explained to my daughter.
“It’s ok, take your time, don’t worry about other traffic, if they want to overtake you they will. You just focus on your own driving, and let everyone else do their own thing.”
I give similar advice to my clients.
Practice
Taking
Up
Space.
Little by little.
Breathe deep and fill your lungs, let your chest expand and feel the fullness of who you are.
You have a right to be here.
You are enough, and your message is powerful to those who need to hear it!