1. Consider: What’s your story? Story is a synonym for label. Do you call yourself shy? Introverted? Has someone else given you a label you’ve bought into?
2. Determine whether your story is serving you or sabotaging you. How has that label affected you? Do you have a self-empowering label that has emboldened you to go for what you want? Or do you have a self-defeating label that has held you back from applying for certain jobs, trying new things, meeting certain people? Is it possible the story you’ve been telling yourself has nothing to do with your real skills, talents, and potential to contribute; it’s just something you made up in your head?
3. Tell yourself a limitless story…. What experiences might you have if you choose to remove restrictions from your mindset, and if you choose to clarify what you want and go for it instead of putting an unnecessary ceiling on yourself?
4. Put old stories in the past. The key to opening yourself to new possibilities is to not allow that limiting story to creep back in. Say to yourself, “I used to _____________. And now I _____________.”
5. Don’t revert, retreat, or withdraw – reach out…. Ask [others] for their input and give them an opportunity to add value.
6. Play tall…. Choose to play tall so that others may be inspired by your example and choose to speak up for what they want, too.
— Sam Horn in Talking on Eggshells