Comments on: Are You “Playing Small”? http://www.susangabriel.com/blog/writers-and-writing/are-you-playing-small/ Exploring the creative side of life: writing, art, nature & more Sat, 04 Feb 2012 20:08:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Susan Gabriel http://www.susangabriel.com/blog/writers-and-writing/are-you-playing-small/comment-page-1/#comment-600 Susan Gabriel Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:50:55 +0000 http://www.susangabriel.com/blog/?p=570#comment-600 "When you’ve been taught not to stand out, success is like wearing a shoe that’s too large–you’re always fearful you’re going to lose it." That's beautiful, Laurie. “When you’ve been taught not to stand out, success is like wearing a shoe that’s too large–you’re always fearful you’re going to lose it.”

That’s beautiful, Laurie.

]]> By: Laurie J. Edwards http://www.susangabriel.com/blog/writers-and-writing/are-you-playing-small/comment-page-1/#comment-599 Laurie J. Edwards Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:43:46 +0000 http://www.susangabriel.com/blog/?p=570#comment-599 What wonderful words of inspiration! And just what I needed to hear right now. When you've been taught not to stand out, success is like wearing a shoe that's too large--you're always fearful you're going to lose it. What wonderful words of inspiration! And just what I needed to hear right now. When you’ve been taught not to stand out, success is like wearing a shoe that’s too large–you’re always fearful you’re going to lose it.

]]> By: Susan Gabriel http://www.susangabriel.com/blog/writers-and-writing/are-you-playing-small/comment-page-1/#comment-596 Susan Gabriel Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:02:26 +0000 http://www.susangabriel.com/blog/?p=570#comment-596 Hi Amy, Thanks for commenting. I bet you're a great mom and I'm glad this post gave you a boost. All the best, Susan Hi Amy,
Thanks for commenting. I bet you’re a great mom and I’m glad this post gave you a boost.

All the best,
Susan

]]> By: Amy Kelly http://www.susangabriel.com/blog/writers-and-writing/are-you-playing-small/comment-page-1/#comment-595 Amy Kelly Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:47:50 +0000 http://www.susangabriel.com/blog/?p=570#comment-595 Hi, I'm not a professional writer, just someone who took much comfort in this piece. I am a stay at home mom to two toddlers (2 and 3). I also walk on crutches. As everyone tells me, parenting is tough enough...on crutches is an extra challenge. This idea of power really hit me. When my children are "out of control", I feel powerless. I can't physically put them in a time out, or even just physically remove them from whatever they are destroying at any given moment. Last year, I really let it get the best of me. (My husband is a teacher so I had a break all summer, for which I know I am blessed). This year, I am determined to learn to cope and not let it leave me depleted. And that's where this idea really hit me. I know that I really have an immense amount of power. My children are learning from me every day. I am not the only person influencing them, but I am the one with them day in and day out. I am shaping how they feel about themselves, how they learn to treat others, how they look at the world. I have a responsibility to do this to the best of my ability and not just throw up my hands in frustration. This reminder gave me a boost today...and more confidence to problem-solve and stay positive, rather than let this bring me down as low as I was feeling by the end of the last school year. Thank you! Hi,

I’m not a professional writer, just someone who took much comfort in this piece.

I am a stay at home mom to two toddlers (2 and 3). I also walk on crutches. As everyone tells me, parenting is tough enough…on crutches is an extra challenge.

This idea of power really hit me. When my children are “out of control”, I feel powerless. I can’t physically put them in a time out, or even just physically remove them from whatever they are destroying at any given moment. Last year, I really let it get the best of me. (My husband is a teacher so I had a break all summer, for which I know I am blessed).

This year, I am determined to learn to cope and not let it leave me depleted. And that’s where this idea really hit me. I know that I really have an immense amount of power. My children are learning from me every day. I am not the only person influencing them, but I am the one with them day in and day out. I am shaping how they feel about themselves, how they learn to treat others, how they look at the world. I have a responsibility to do this to the best of my ability and not just throw up my hands in frustration.

This reminder gave me a boost today…and more confidence to problem-solve and stay positive, rather than let this bring me down as low as I was feeling by the end of the last school year. Thank you!

]]> By: Susan Gabriel http://www.susangabriel.com/blog/writers-and-writing/are-you-playing-small/comment-page-1/#comment-577 Susan Gabriel Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:15:48 +0000 http://www.susangabriel.com/blog/?p=570#comment-577 I agree, John. Taking responsibility for our lives is what maturity, greatness, and true power is all about. A speaker at a conference I attended a few years ago made the statement that Europeans consider Americans an "adolescent culture." If this statement has truth to it, maybe that's why taking responsibility is so hard for us. A lot of us are stuck in kind of a self-centered, peer pressured, blame-the-parents (or whoever is in authority) stage. Perhaps the answer is to grow ourselves up and grab the reigns of our own lives. Thanks for your comment! I agree, John. Taking responsibility for our lives is what maturity, greatness, and true power is all about.

A speaker at a conference I attended a few years ago made the statement that Europeans consider Americans an “adolescent culture.” If this statement has truth to it, maybe that’s why taking responsibility is so hard for us. A lot of us are stuck in kind of a self-centered, peer pressured, blame-the-parents (or whoever is in authority) stage. Perhaps the answer is to grow ourselves up and grab the reigns of our own lives.

Thanks for your comment!

]]> By: John Grabowski http://www.susangabriel.com/blog/writers-and-writing/are-you-playing-small/comment-page-1/#comment-576 John Grabowski Fri, 28 Aug 2009 01:25:31 +0000 http://www.susangabriel.com/blog/?p=570#comment-576 > Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is > that we are powerful beyond measure. A few years ago I would have poo-pooed this as wishful thinking but now I think I would agree. All the responsibility that comes with this power is what is intimidating to many people. Of course, there are also the people who have no idea of their limitations and proceed as though they are omnipotent when they are deeply flawed and limited. A recent vice presidential candidate/former governor turned ardent blogger springs immediately to mind. She dies not fear being "powerful beyond measure" because she does not understand the accompanying responsibility. But for most of us that power is a sobering--and intimidating--thought. Have you ever noticed that in our fantasies we have all this power but none of the ensuing responsibility? > Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is
> that we are powerful beyond measure.

A few years ago I would have poo-pooed this as wishful thinking but now I think I would agree. All the responsibility that comes with this power is what is intimidating to many people. Of course, there are also the people who have no idea of their limitations and proceed as though they are omnipotent when they are deeply flawed and limited. A recent vice presidential candidate/former governor turned ardent blogger springs immediately to mind. She dies not fear being “powerful beyond measure” because she does not understand the accompanying responsibility. But for most of us that power is a sobering–and intimidating–thought.

Have you ever noticed that in our fantasies we have all this power but none of the ensuing responsibility?

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