Bec felt nervous. Today was her big maths exam, and she was worried that she was going to fail.
Her palms were sweaty, her mind felt scattered, and her heart felt heavy in her chest.
Bec had been studying and preparing herself for weeks, but right now, in this moment, she felt as if she had completely forgotten all of the maths formulas.
She kept asking herself why her memory always failed her right when she was about to sit an exam.
When she later received her results, she not only realised that she knew the answers, but she also criticised herself for making all sorts of silly mistakes that she should have seen. How could she be so “dumb”?
Despite Bec’s intense study plans, her preparation did not mirror her results, which left Bec with the belief that she was “not smart enough”.
So began the story of “I am not smart enough”, and all the giving up that comes after at.
We all have strengths and weaknesses in different areas of our life. However, when we start to believe in the story of “I am not smart enough”, it is very easy to stop challenging ourselves. We tend to give up when a difficult situation presents itself.
We resign ourselves to the fact that we cannot do it because it is “too hard” and we doubt our abilities and capabilities.
We give up without even trying, and then extend it into other areas of our life.
This story keeps us trapped and limited in a life that we do not want because we think we are not smart enough to change it.
That is simply untrue.
We all have a great capacity to learn, to progress, and to grow. We are all unique individuals with our own perception, imagination, experiences, and creativity.
We may not excel in all areas of learning, but we have a gift that is unique only to us. It could be that we are a fabulous dancer, a great cook, a creative writer, an artist, an excellent friend, a good listener, a songwriter, a musician, or even good with maths and numbers.
Whatever our gift, this week’s challenge is to highlight that gift in all its glory. You are called to seek and find what you are good at. Get in touch with what you love to do, with what gives you pleasure and joy. Seek the beauty and your signature mark.
Realise and remember that you are original and have your own style. So excite your curiosity, be bold, be inquisitive, and most of all, have fun.
Explore, experiment, and find who you are and what you can become. Stretch yourself and be transformed forever.
Deborah Ruth
Storyteller
