Pizza🍕, sushi🍣, and weather patterns🌩? 🤷🏼‍♂️ Stories about putting pressure on ourselves.

How is your journey of remembering your true identity going? Are you recognizing more and more the powerful force of nature that you are? I hope you are because as I continue my own journey, I’m consistently reminded about how empowering and impactful this remembering of our innate power is, in all aspects of my life–relationships, work, personal hobbies, etc. More on this below.

We’ve had an unusual amount of thunderstorms here in Salt Lake City over the last couple of months and I am LOVING IT! The storms remind me of how powerful nature, and therefore we, actually are.

I’ve always marveled at the power and beauty of nature. When I was younger, I used to sit in the library for hours reading about the sea and about storms and how they formed. This is how I discovered weather patterns are created by different levels of atmospheric pressure. The pressure that exists in nature is what creates breathtaking storms and gentle breezes that shape our environment.

As I’ve gotten older, embraced my own journey, and as I help others in their journey, it’s fascinating to see the parallels between nature and our human experience–especially when it comes to the pressure we put on ourselves and the environment we create because of it. Our inner climate creates our external environment.

Positive pressure can be a catalyst for growth and transformation. It’s the driving force behind setting goals, embracing challenges, and pushing ourselves beyond our comfort zones. When we allow positive pressure into our lives, we create a dynamic and energizing environment that propels us forward.

However, there’s also negative pressure, which can be as destructive as a hurricane. It comes in the form of self-imposed expectations (self-imposed being the keywords there), comparison, and the fear of failure. We often find ourselves trapped in the relentless grip of perfectionism, constantly striving for an unattainable ideal. This negative pressure weighs us down, inhibiting our progress and robbing us of joy.

But here’s the secret: just as weather patterns shift and change, so does our inner climate. It’s about finding the delicate balance between positive and negative pressures. AND understanding ourselves so intimately that we know when we need to hunker down to let the storm pass or go dance in the rain.

A Personal Story of Unnecessary Pressure

I remember doing an activity within my leadership group of 7 other leaders. We were making personal pizzas from scratch–kneading and stretching the dough, mixing the sauce, laying out the toppings, the whole shebang!

I LOVE pizza (seriously, I could eat it every day if my body and/or husband would allow it). But doing this activity had my anxiety and nervous system on red alert!

I had a hurricane of negative self-talk that was so loud in my mind, it was practically paralyzing:

“I don’t know how to do this.”
“My pizza is going to look terrible.”
“Everyone else’s looks so much better than mine.”
“Why can’t I just have fun like everyone else?”
“I shouldn’t be this embarrassed/anxious.”
“I look like such an idiot.”

I avoided every part of the process I possibly could. Everyone was trying to encourage me and talk me down, but my anxiety just got worse and added a shit ton of embarrassment. It all felt like a recipe for disaster (pun absolutely intended 😆).

Ya’ll, it’s f*cking pizza–the only way it can truly be terrible is if you burn it to a crisp; which wasn’t going to happen because we were being guided by professional chefs! It was foolproof as long as I tried and asked for help if I needed it. I didn’t feel confident in myself or my abilities, and I sure as hell didn’t feel I had access to express my experience, ask for help, or even receive the encouragement I was receiving. I suffered in silence (although I’m sure my face and body language did a shit job of hiding how I was feeling #thanksRBF 😂).

Something that was supposed to be a fun activity to help us as leaders bond, turned into a torture chamber of isolation, embarrassment, anxiety, and shame.

Now, let’s fast forward to 2023…

It’s my first time making sushi rolls. There are no professionals here to guide me. I’ve spent the last six months cooking more and gotten over my fear of using kitchen knives (talk about being risk averse!). Just like with the pizzas, everything was there and it just needed to be prepped and put together.

I still had some anxiety because I wanted the roll to look like those I would order in a restaurant. But I utilized my tools, expressed my fears, hopes, and desire, reminded myself I was a beginner and jumped in expecting things to be messy.

“My strengths are in coaching and emotional processing, not making sushi. It’s okay if it looks terrible.”
“This is going to be an adventure.”
“The outcome of how this looks won’t matter past putting it in my mouth.”
“I’m doing this in order to learn to be healthier.”

As I finished my first sushi roll and put it on the plate, I was like “That’s pretty good for my first roll!” And yes, it was delicious 😋

What changed?

I use these two cooking examples as a way to show you negative pressure and positive pressure. Here are the things I recognized that made all the difference between these two experiences:

I was aware that my thoughts created my feelings
I understood what was happening in my body and nervous system
I had the tools to manage my thoughts AND my nervous system

Looking back, the negative pressure surrounding the pizza ordeal seems absurd, but at that moment, it was my reality. I have compassion for that version of myself who was terrified and paralyzed. I am so grateful that I did the inner work to change how I view my past–I’m not ashamed of it anymore, I think it’s actually kind of cute and can chuckle to myself.

Wrapping Things Up

We can’t spend our lives avoiding pressure, but we can choose how to think about and address it. We can learn how to discern the difference between these two types of pressure AND how to care for ourselves when we become overwhelmed. We can learn how to hold space for our past experiences, learn into experiencing our present, and be open to the future that unfolds as we actively play with the pressure.

Listen to the signals within and make conscious choices. Take a moment to reflect on your own weather patterns.

❓ Where can you harness positive pressure to fuel your growth and propel you toward your goals?

❓ And where do you need to release the negative pressure that holds you back, embracing self-compassion and self-care instead?

Remember, you have the power to shape your own weather patterns–you’re basically Storm from X-Men!! ⚡🌩⚡ With a little self-awareness and intention, you can create a climate that nurtures and empowers you.

So, step into your power, and embrace your ability to play with pressure to create more of the inner climate you desire. Rain or shine, you’ve got this!

–Cam

P.S. Ready to unleash your inner storm and create a powerful inner climate? Let’s dive deeper together! Schedule a connection call with me today, and let’s explore how you can harness positive pressure, release the negative, and shape your journey towards growth and empowerment. Click here to book your connection call.

Remember, your potential is limitless–which means you really can go after and get anything you want. You just have to be brave enough to start taking steps. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to transform your relationship with pressure and step into your true power. I can’t wait to connect with you and be a part of your incredible journey.

Stay fierce and schedule your call today!

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