There were times when I used to play small and shrink in order to make sure people in my life felt ok. Walking shifted that. On one windy, cold, icy morning, I became curious. Why do I do this? How is this behavior helping/supporting me? Or anyone else, for that matter. Now, don’t get me wrong, I want the people around me to feel ok. And. I want to show up whole, abundant, and true.
Playing small. What do I mean? Because actually, I am 5’ 12”. I believe it means that we avoid actions we think might cause a problem or make someone else feel uncomfortable. Our culture teaches us from a very young age to be quiet, hide our accomplishments, and keep our opinions to ourselves. There's plenty of shame out there for taking up space, being heard and seen. Why? Really, why?
I think we often feel fear when stepping out of our comfort zone. This is where walking comes in. Getting comfortable with the uncomfortable. The days when it is pouring rain—those days are teachers. It’s uncomfortable. But at the end of the day, it is just rain. What I have learned on those days is patience, and being with/in the discomfort. It passes, the discomfort. What remains is a truer understanding of our place, or strength, ourselves. We just have to allow for some discomfort and quiet to teach us. Walking is that teacher for me.
Libby DeLana is an award-winning executive creative director, designer/art director by trade, who has spent her career in the ad world. Click here to get your copy of Libby’s first published book, Do Walk. You can connect with Libby on Instagram @thismorningwalk and @parkhere.