Do you have that one thing that holds you back — something small but stubborn?

For me, it was driving through downtown traffic.

I have a confession.

I’ve never been fully comfortable driving through downtown traffic — or really, anywhere that looked too busy on the map. Heavy lanes, honking cars, unpredictable signals… I used to think, “Nope, that’s not for me.”

So for years, I simply avoided it.

I relied on friends and family for the long drives — and honestly, it worked.

A few years ago, when I took a leadership role in a public speaking organization, one of my co-leaders became my ride (and friend for life!). We’d drive nearly 100 miles together, talking non-stop, laughing through directions, and somehow making a two-hour drive feel like ten minutes. Because of her, I completed that leadership year with ease.

But deep down, I knew I had a limit — a quiet line I never crossed.

And like most limits, it stayed that way until I questioned it.

🚘 This Year, Something Changed

Not only did I muster the courage to drive longer distances — I actually did it.

Recently, I volunteered at a nonprofit event with colleagues — nearly 50 miles away, through downtown, during morning traffic.

Did I feel nervous? Absolutely.

But all I could think of was one thing:

“I have to reach. I have to show up.”

And I did.

It might sound small, but believe me — it was nothing short of landing on the moon for me.🚀

When I reached, parked, and stepped out of that car, I felt something I hadn’t felt in a while — invincible. Free.

Then today, it happened again.

I drove to a conference for a presentation. My focus wasn’t on the drive anymore; it was on the purpose.

And somewhere between the turns and traffic lights, I realized —

✨ It’s astonishing how simple something feels once your mind decides it’s possible.

🌱 The Boundaries We Build

We all have our own “no-go zones” — things that hold us back for years.

Sometimes they seem small to others — but to us, they become invisible walls.

And what’s fascinating is this:

Those walls rarely exist outside of us.

They live in our beliefs.

They stay there until life, necessity, or sometimes just one brave decision nudges us to cross over.

Because once we do — what we find on the other side isn’t just ease.

It’s expansion.

A feeling of, “If I can do this… what else have I been underestimating?”

🧠 It’s All in the Mind

Every time I circle back to this truth — it’s all in the mind.

Our strengths help us move forward, but our breakthroughs come from facing what holds us back.

So instead of asking, “What am I good at?”

Maybe we should ask, “What’s holding me back?”

Because when we remove those boundaries wholeheartedly — who knows what we might achieve?

🏊🏽 As for me?

Now I’m wondering — do I really think I can’t swim long distances… 😀

or is that just another mental roadblock?

Who knows — maybe Ironman, here I come. 😉

💬 So let me ask you:

👉 What’s one small thing you’ve been avoiding that might actually set you free?

#ItsAllInTheMind #CourageToGrow #EverydayConfidence #OvercomingFear #PersonalGrowth #MindsetShift #GrowthJourney #SmallStepsBigChange