No Pain, No Gain?

Hi friend!

I’m about two weeks out of the 18th Annual East Bay Women’s Conference. Last year I coached one of their keynote speakers and facilitated a dynamic breakout session. THIS YEAR they ask me back to be the EMCEE!

And like clockwork, as reliable as a stain on my new outfit after a fancy dinner (#canthavenicethings), I start to feel it . . . the PAIN OF ANTICIPATION.

For me it manifests as a spontaneous wake up at 5AM with tightness in my chest. This is normally followed by a trio of negative thoughts. Imagine voiced by the witches in Macbeth.

The first thought is from an Elaine Stritch-y witch, “Why do you f$%king do this to yourself, you #$%hole!”

The second is from a Patti Labelle-ish witch. . . “You’re going to make a fool out of yourself and nobody is going to like you.”

The third is from a Bea Arthur-ish witch . . . “Just stay in bed and never get up.”

I’ve been at this game long enough to know that these witches are going to make an appearance EVERY TIME I do something that matters. (Sometimes the celebrity witchy voice changes and they’re all Paul Lind.)

I did something different this time and it was A TOTAL GAME CHANGER!

As I started waking up unnecessarily early and in a micro state of panic and dread, instead of resisting it and fueling the flare-up I did the following:

I made a note of it.

I let go of it.

I went back to my breathing.

In most forms of training, as we push our limits and step out of our physical and psychological comfort zone, pain is a companion. Instead of resisting it, I invited it in. I listened to what this pain was communicating and I understood it meant that I was invested and cared about this opportunity.

Most mornings leading up to the event, the pain was still there. Over time, as I practiced this little ritual, it diminished.

On Tuesday morning, March 8, I wake up early with a spring in my step. I arrive at the Lesher Center for the Arts, in Walnut Creek, at 7AM. At 7:30 I stand center stage to warm up my voice and body.

I stare at the empty seats in the theatre and a sharp pain starts to manifest in my chest. There is a battle as the witchy voices of Elaine Stritch, Patti Labelle, Bea Arthur and Paul Lind race to the forefront of my consciousness. Before any of them have time to open their mouths:

I make a note of it.

I let go of it.

I go back to my breathing.

A loving voice emerges and says – “You so go this!”

I take the biggest inhale, followed by the largest exhale.

It’s show time!

Fearlessly yours,

Eduardo

PS- Because I’m a Shakespeare nerd and I mentioned the witches in the Scottish Play already in this email, I cannot give up the opportunity TODAY to say – “BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH!”