Kay:

Hello Questers and welcome back. It is September 15th which means we are halfway through the beautiful month of September and only one week away from the official beginning of the season of fall. This is episode 443 and we have such a cool quote for you today from a BA lady researcher, Brené Brown.

Shi:

She tells us, “Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up.”

Kay:

I feel this on such a truth level, in my bones because sometimes you show up and you’re not showing up pretty.

Shi:

Nope or you’re not showing up prepared, or you’re not showing up on time, or you’re not showing up feeling your best, or you’re not showing up proud of how you’re presenting or what you did earlier or how you came to be. But if you just show up, that is truly the majority of the “battle.”

Kay:

Right. It can be so difficult to get yourself to just get to a place. If you’re really late to something and just imagine you’re in the car, you know you’re going to be 15 minutes late to a meeting. You know when you walk in that every single person sees the deer in the headlights. But what’s better, skipping that meeting all together or showing up and at least giving your best in that moment? I would say that showing up is going to show your boss that you are committed to the project.

Shi:

I also believe that we think about escaping. I don’t know about you guys, but when things get hard, sometimes you have that hardwired, biological evolutionary lizard brain approach that says flight, not fight. Flight, run, quit, get out. No, this is too much. The pressure is too much. You shouldn’t have to go through this. Then fine, I’ll just quit right. We all have those times in us, which is what she’s highlighting here. The bravest thing you can do is not listen to that, to not flight into it, to show up and that doesn’t mean not course correct or not find another approach or need to make some changes but show up to it and be present for it. That’s when; the bravery really comes in.

Kay:

Well, what’s the real difference between flight or fight? It really comes down to courage. Is there enough courage to stand up to the thing that’s coming at you and to fight it, or are you going to fly away? And it doesn’t mean that if you run away from something, from a biological response that you’re being a coward. That’s not what we’re saying here but what we are saying is that the element that leads you into that; squaring your shoulders and going forward really comes down to courage.

Shi:

It’s beautiful and then she says the second part there; “Sometimes the bravest and most important thing…” That’s that majority level. It’s that really important because intellectually we can talk about, just show up when it’s hard, just get there, but when you are emotionally involved in a situation, in an experience that is challenging you to not show up, to flight, to run away, being able to push through that and to step through that and just freaking show up for it, show up for life, show up for the beating, show up for the triumph show up for all of the journey and the voyage in between is the most important thing because it keeps moving you forward.

Kay:

Showing up is the ultimate way of showing something that you are done with it. Showing up shows dedication, showing up shows I’m here no matter what. Showing up shows I don’t compromise on my dreams. Showing up shows I’m strong enough to bear the burden of these blessings that I’ve been gifted with in my life. When you don’t show up it’s like a slap in the face of the universe because the universe is going to slap you around but it’s going to give you opportunities to show up. When you have the time to step forward, step forward. We have shown up… You guys, we don’t cuss on this podcast but S shows. We have shown up like Shila said late, sick. Sometimes it just means that you’re working until 10 o’clock at night, you don’t feel well and you’re pushing through. You’re making the phone calls anyway. You’re working with the accountant anyway. You’re reviewing the reports anyway even when you don’t want to, even when the pressures are mounting and really, I think that’s probably been one of our greatest contributors to success.

Shi:

It’s six letters, two words. Show up. We’re not sitting here telling you we’re so great at this and just look how great we are and how good we do. It helps us to remind ourselves through this podcast and hopefully encourage you as well. It’s to remember all the times you have shown up in your life, when you can look back and say I showed up, I took the GRE, even when I was pregnant, and the new business was opening. I got the job even though there were more qualified people. I finished the assignment even though I started on it late. I got the date even though I got turned down and it shattered my heart a few times. You look back on your life and look at all of the times that you’ve shown up for yourself. How did that turn out for you? Even if you didn’t get the outcome you wanted, didn’t you learn? Didn’t you grow? Didn’t you advance and move forward? Then in flip, look at the times when you ran away. Is that something that you wish you maybe would have handled differently or wish that you would have shown up in a different way to leave? I think all of us can have these moments of reflection and see how showing up is a principle that works in our lives and that’s demonstrated through our past.

Kay:

So just to remind you what Brené Brown’s quote is for today, “Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up.”

Shi:

Alright. It’s obviously a Show Up Quest today for all of you. Do one thing for yourself that proves to you that you have your own back. You got to show up for yourself today. What’s it going to be? Are you ready? Show up with us now.

Kay & Shi:

Let’s quest!