On one particular morning last week, as I climbed into the cool water of my gym’s pool for my morning aqua aerobics class, I had no idea I was in for quite the surprise.
My gym has four different aqua aerobics instructors and each of them has their own unique style including what music they play during class. On this particular morning, our teacher began the class with a jazz number (which wasn’t out of the ordinary as she is a huge jazz fan – woot!).
As we warmed up our bodies and moved our arms overhead, I couldn’t help but listen intently to the jazz band on the recording. The saxophone player, I noticed, was quite good. What fluid lines they played! Their phrases had such smoothness and clarity, as though the music were just flowing out of them. I was quite impressed.
And that’s when it happened.
I realized the saxophonist sounded familiar. I knew them somehow … they were no stranger to me. One of the lines they played, why, it almost sounded like something I would play on the saxophone. And then another line, and then another. It hit me.
…the saxophonist was ME!
How could it be, you might be wondering, that I didn’t immediately recognize my own playing? Well, the song was from a recording I had done long ago with a band leader back in New York City, and because I, like most musicians, don’t love listening to myself, it hadn’t exactly been on my daily playlist.
I believe this experience teaches us all something quite notable: If any of us here (including YOU!) were given the chance to experience your talent, gifts, and brilliance as an outside witness – you would be, in a word, floored. Believe me.
The trouble is, when we are the person creating the awesome-ness, this human experience (admittedly difficult at times!) can distract us from how awesome we are and allow us to get wrapped up in self-doubt, uncertainty, or even just sheer ignorance of how amazing we actually are.
You’re far better than you know and far smarter than you think.
Never forget it.
