Show Up Anyway

When you allow yourself to be seen in the rawest, realest, and sometimes darkest of times, you give yourself permission to begin healing.?-Jen Gottlieb Quote from her new book BE SEEN

I had a close encounter with a fluffing black and white dog, a Bernidoodle, more Saint Bernard than Doodle, 130 pounds of bounding joy. “Lucy” leapt up to greet me and hit my right knee full linebacker. I can still see the instant replay in my mind, Pop! My knee buckled backwards NFL style.?

My secret weapon to get through 15 weeks of book tour without surgery? High heels and ice. Heels to mask the fact that I wasn’t bending my knee. I was elevating at night.?

Good news! They didn’t have to replace my knee. One surgery and three meniscus tear repairs later I was back to icing and onto rehab. Ready set, heal!

An opportunity to participate in an exceptional invitation only Mastermind came up that would take place days after surgery and the day before a long awaited family trip. I believe in saying yes.?

I said no.?

Heavens, I would be swollen, sore, slow, and stiff. And have to be careful. Not my best look. This was a room you want to be at your best for.?

But what if the timing was actually perfect? I changed my RSVP and showed up anyway.?

Results? Amazing connection, inspiration, deepened relationships, and a powerful opportunity for my book The Power of Days. Thank you Jen Gottlieb . I had arrived limping and limp (for a lot of reasons). So glad I did.

Onto the family cruise. So grateful for surgery, time with family, magical moments, and that we were able to make it work! But going now meant I would have to be pushed in a wheelchair at times to not slow them down. Argh! Embarrassing. Even getting in the sand with them was challenging.?

I got in the sand anyway. The kids loved pushing me in the chair. I chose to let the negative narratives go and focus all in on being present.?

Brene' Brown said, “Vulnerability is about showing up and being seen. It’s tough to do that when we’re terrified about what people might see or think.”

There was no good time to choose surgery. So glad I said yes to healing. Yes to focusing on family.?

There was no way to be smooth, so glad I said yes to showing up even when I couldn’t be at my best.?

Don’t get me wrong, there is a time to say no, and that takes courage too. And when we say yes it’s not just about the opportunity, it’s about allowing ourselves to be enough in any setting.?

What opportunities have you shown up for that required an extra measure of determination? Was it worth it?

How do you know when to say yes and when to say no??

What can you show up for now?

I’m so glad my sweet family showed up. So glad the successful women in the Mastermind who showed up to play all out.?

Life is better when we show up.?

With gratitude,

Celeste

#Vulnerability #Authenticity #Healing #Connection #ShowUp #SayYes #SayNo #Priorities #Intuition #SelfCare #PersonalGrowth