Imagine you are in a quiet place. You’re nice and comfortable.  Then  you begin to hear  trombones.  The melody is a little loud, but its calming.  After the trombones, cello basses start to play.  At first the instruments sound out of sync, like they are competing for attention, but then they start to sound like they are in perfect harmony.   This goes on for a few minutes, then the faint sound of violins start to play.  After the violins trumpets begin to play. The trumpets are then complimented by  xylophones and flutes.   Before you know it, all the instruments are playing at the same time.  What sounded like competing noise at first, sounds like a beautiful symphony of sound.  Like prefect harmony.

This symphony is a metaphor for your life.  All these competing things and events all happening at once.  Sometimes they seem to be out of sync, but in the end they turn out beautiful.  You go to work and find out that you’re being made team leader, and this is the position you need to push you towards that promotion you’ve been looking for. This is the trombone. You get home that day, and your girlfriend or boyfriend starts an argument with you because they feel like this position change will cut into your time together plus they want to take the relationship to the next level, but you’re not sure.  This is the cello bass.  What started as a high is now looking like it might be a low, but the two events are still playing in concert.  The next day you and your best friend get into a bit of a disagreement.  You all are going on a trip soon and they had to back out at the last minute.  They want their money refunded, but you’re telling them you can’t.  You also think they should make then last minimum payment as not to disrupt the payments for everyone else, they don’t think they should have to continue paying.  This causes a bit of a rift between you and your friend.  This is the violin.  One more situation added on top of what you already had going on.

You get to work the next day excited about your first day as team leader.  You meet the team, introduce yourself and its going well. You make your first decision as team leader, and get immediate push back from a team member.  In their “expert” opinion you should go another route. You respectfully and professionally inform them that you respect their opinion, but the decision you made will be executed.  This is the trumpet, noise that came from nowhere, but still in harmony with everything else.  After a pretty good first day, you get home and your girlfriend or boyfriend wants to continue the convo from the other day.  You all talk it out, and finally they apologize.  They know they overreacted, they will be as supportive as you need them to be.  Your girlfriend or boyfriend is invested in the relationship and they know you all will make it work cause you always do.  That’s the xylophones and flutes.  Another sound, but still sweet music.

All the events come together to form the beautiful symphony that is your life.  They seem out of sync, but they are all converging on you at the same time.  Take a minute to stop and enjoy the music.  It may seem like you have a lot going on and everything is pulling you at once, but if you take a minute to enjoy the music you will see that its all in perfect harmony.   These events aren’t competing for your attention, they are shaping you.  All happening at once to form a perfect harmony of life.   Even if you don’t like the music, its your symphony so you can compose it.  Just remember to enjoy the beautiful symphony that is your life.

What are you afraid of that is keeping you from reaching your full potential? Fear is natural, it is part of our bodies fight or flight response. A natural instinct to let us know that a situation or action might be dangerous or detrimental to our wellbeing.  Fear can often cause you to rethink an unsafe act or decision? For instance, some people are afraid of heights so they don’t go free jumping off of cliffs.  People who have overcome poverty, and are afraid of going back, often try to make smarter financial decisions or budget their money very well. Fear can also be crippling. Is fear crippling you from taking that next step in your relationship, professional life, or your life in general?

Are you afraid of stepping out of your comfort zone? Is that why you won’t accept or apply for   that great job in a new city? Are you afraid of failing? Is that why you won’t put in for that promotion you deserve or try anything new? Are you afraid to be broke? Is that why you won’t quit your job and follow your passion? Are you afraid to be alone? Is that why you put up with things from your girlfriend or boyfriend that you know you don’t deserve? What are you afraid of that’s keeping you from reaching your full potential?

I’m afraid that I’m not good enough.  That no matter what I do, it won’t be enough.  I’m not good enough for anyone and don’t deserve to be happy in a relationship. I’m intelligent and great at my job, but somehow I might not be quite smart enough.  These are all real fears that I deal with on  a daily basis. I’m sure your fears are real too, and they challenge you often.  These fears only stop you from reaching your full potential if you let them.

Fear can also be a great motivator.  We must begin to act out of courage, using our fearto push us to new heights.  Instead of not applying for that job because you are afraid to leave your comfort zone; Apply for that job and know that if you get it, this new uncomfortable place will be great for your growth and development. Instead of not putting in for that promotion, put in for it, and have the courage and belief to know that you deserve it and will excel. Instead of not pursuing your passion and staying in a job you hate; develop a plan for yourself and create a realistic timeline.  That way if you do have to quit your job, you can still provide for yourself until your passion starts to provide for you the way you want it too.  Instead of putting up with things you don’t deserve from your partner; you can leave and trust that you will find someone who values you and treats you like you deserve to be treated.

Operating out of fear can hold us back from reaching our true potiental.  I know my fears and everyday I work to conquer them by operating in courage.  I try to tell myself daily that I am good enough, and it reflects in my attitude. I carry myself like I belong, and I deseve to be here. I work hard at my job, turn in credible products and work daily to constantly improve my technical knowledge.  Don’t let fear hold you back from reaching your full potiential.  Take it one day at a time, and know that you have the courage to reach your fulliest potiential.

There have been two major cave rescues in the past couple of years. 33 Chilean miners were rescued from being trapped for 69 days, after the roof of the cave collapsed. A Thai soccer team was rescued this month after being trapped in a cave while exploring it as a team building exercise.  While the Thai soccer team is still in recovery, doctors are more worried about the boys mental health than they are their physical health.

Doctors are worried that even though the boys are free, mentally they will still be in that cave.  Those feelings of anxiety, worry, and panic will stick with them for some time.  They will be easily triggered by events or feelings that remind them of being trapped in that cave.  Some of the boys may even experience PTSD.  It will take some time, but the boys will heal from this event. These two stories actually parallel our own lives, and sometimes we don’t even realize it.

These young boys were physically trapped in a cave, but what was your cave? What have you experienced that you may be physically free from but still mentally trapped? Was it a bad relationship? Suffering a huge disappointment or major set back career wise? Was it an actual physical trauma?  No matter what you  have experienced that has you mentally trapped,   You are free!!!!

Being mentally trapped can hold you back from so many things that you could be missing in the here and now.  Being mentally trapped in a past relationship could be stopping you from loving your current partner properly.  Being mentally trapped from a major career let down could be stopping you from flourishing in your current position, and progressing like you know you should be. Being mentally trapped from a physical trauma can be almost crippling because you are easily triggered by anything that reminds you of that experience.

You are free!!!! It may be difficult to realize at first, but you are free.  That experience has shaped you in a major way that can be a good thing if you appreciate the experience and learn from it.  Bad relationships can teach us the depths of our own happiness, and what we want and deserve in a relationship. Career setbacks teach us to work even harder for what we deserve, or to remove ourselves from situations that don’t make us happy or progress our careers.    You are free from that situation, but if you allow yourself to stay trapped mentally, you will be stifling your own growth.  There are people who love and care for you and who want to see you succeed. Lean on your support groups for healing, and seek outside help if you need it, but don’t allow yourself to stay trapped. Are you still in the cave? .

There are always two sides to every coin. In life there must always be a balance. Tragedy and triumph can be very tough because they are two sides to the same coin. Often times it can seem like for every triumph we experience, we experience a tragedy. When I say tragedy, that doesn’t always mean death or a major loss. I mean anything that you would consider a major setback. Triumph, defined as anything you would consider a major move or a set up for a major move.

I recently experienced a triumph that was the breakthrough I needed and was looking for. This was going to be the move that would launch me into the next phase of my life. That triumph came with a tragedy. Poor decision making led to a setback that I was not prepared for. I’m still going to celebrate my triumph and prepare myself to transition into the next phase of my life. I’m going to learn from my tragedy and use it as fuel to make some much needed life changes.

Celebrate your triumphs and learn from your tragedies. Sometimes it will seem like you are experiencing nothing but tragedies. Your triumph is coming. Stay strong and stay faithful. Tragedies aren’t meant to destroy us, but they will if we let them. Your triumph is coming. Even if it’s not the major triumph you wanted or was expecting, still celebrate and appreciate it. That small triumph could be the first step into a major triumph. Triumph and tragedy are two sides of the same coin, but the coin will land on both sides equally.