Return to Factory Settings

I am reading (well, listening to) a book I am finding personally inspiring.  Brené Brown’s Braving the Wilderness.  That combined with being at Steve’s, a place where I tend to think about life, and it being the season of reflection —long nights, short and cold days which bring us inside for rest while we wait for the returning of the light, I awoke a few days ago with a new idea.

Brené wrote in her book about an experience she had when she first met Oprah Winfrey.  Brené was invited to do an interview with Oprah. She revealed how much it meant so much to her.  It was in the context of the workshops that Oprah produced with many ‘big name’ people in the new age community.  Brené was nervous and excited at this opportunity to meet Oprah and be included and accepted as a peer in this community of speakers.  The possibilities that this meeting might manifest for her was off-the-charts important.

The interview went well.   Oprah was so impressed that she said immediately to Brené, let’s do another one.  Brené explained in the book about how in that moment her thoughts and fears and concerns came rushing through her.  Her response to Oprah was, “Is this okay? Should we ask someone?”  Oprah’s reply was simply, “Who do you think we should run it by?”  The question was sincere.

In my middle of the night thoughts I expanded this question. I hear so often about the struggles many have about being authentic, showing up, saying what’s true, holding things in, holding back, not going for it, being too much or not enough, etc.  How is it that life has become so challenging, that if we want to switch jobs, or our partner, take a nap, or eat ice cream, or write a book, or anything —we don’t.

Who do we think we need to run it by?

Have you ever hit the reset button on an iPad or an iPhone?  I have and I find it particularly satisfying.  It instantly becomes brand new.  I not only hit reset settings I hit reset settings and content!!  Just tap the button and I get to set it up any way I want, new display, download any or no apps —even set up the language.  It is as if it was never set up before.  I wonder what it would be like to do this for ourselves?

I’ve been practicing something new these past few days. When I hear myself saying something that isn’t anything less than full celebration of who I am —I ask myself, who downloaded this app?  And I just delete it.  It has been super fun!  I don’t need an app in my own operating system that doesn’t serve the life I say I want.  Occasionally I have heard a very faint voice suggesting it doesn’t work that way.  I delete that too! 

For the new year, I am inviting you to hit your own reset button.  If you, with all the things you now know, and all the hopes and dreams you have right now, could download and run any apps, which are you choosing?  

Without the burden of having to get over anything —no parents messages (intended or otherwise) telling you this or that, no religious school or friends groups values that aren’t your own, no life experience of disappointment getting in your way to dream fully —what would you load into your life? 

If you could choose freely like you do on your phone, what would download?  What would your life be?  Who would you show up as?  What would you say and do so that the rest of would know what your purpose is?

If you didn’t have to run it by anyone to have the life you want, what life would you have?