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BY MAGNUS DAVIES

COOKIE JAR

This week’s task was the ‘Cookie Jar’.

Inspired by the Navy Seal David Goggins, the Cookie Jar is a place where you store moments from your past. Moments of adversity. Moments of strength. Moments of tenacity.

In our society, we like to idolise celebrities and athletes. We like to look at them as superhuman and exceptions to the laws of nature.

Wow, they ran a marathon in what time?

They grew that successful business from scratch?

They featured in how many award-winning films last year?

We love a comeback story. We love heroic stories. I am a sucker for a happy ending too. Love ’em.

WEEK 2

We had to think of 4 life-defining moments that have tested us.

Writing down my four key moments made me feel proud. I rated my feeling before the task a 3/10 and after the task, I felt 8/10.

Giving ourselves credit for the times we got through a tough period or a time where we achieved something great is something we ought to do more.

It’s quite easy to achieve something and move on to the next goal without processing what we have just gone through.

“What if I embarrass myself”.

Well, what about the time where you thought that and you did a great job?

“What if I stutter in the middle of the conference”.

You didn’t slip up when you delivered your last three speeches?

The past is a great reminder that we have overcome great adversity in spite of self-doubt and fear.

SHARING MY COOKIE JAR

For some reason sharing my cookie jar moment felt uncomfortable. I felt more exposed than I did last week when I shared ‘my why’.

For the next few hours, I felt vulnerable. I even had a bit of a headache. I felt like I did not like the way the cookie jar portrayed myself and I thought people would judge me for it.

I had to say to myself it’s out there. If people don’t respond well to it, then I can’t do anything about that.

You can’t help but care about what other people think. But I know that I can’t control the opinions of other people.

I could tell that a few people in the group felt equally reluctant to share this week.

However, after the dust settled I felt better for doing it.

I reminded myself that if it was easy and comfortable then there would be no possible growth.

I felt inspired hearing some of my teammates’ cookie jar moments. The resolve and resilience some of them displayed in difficult periods of their life gave me a better perspective on things I would usually take for granted.

GIVE YOURSELF CREDIT

If you take anything away from this article, take this away.  Reflect on the last few years and give yourself credit for just getting to where you are right now.

Your life may not be where you want it to be. You might be feeling anxious, you might be feeling depressed. But you are here. And only you got yourself here. Give credit where credit is due.

One of the Evolve members said, “I can’t think of a momentous moment where I overcame the odds and showed bravery but I am proud of the years I have continued to carry on despite my anxiety”. I really appreciated that because bravery is not always one moment where we slay the dragon (I haven’t slayed many dragons).

Bravery is not just what you see in Bond films.

Life requires us to become brave at times. Sometimes we have no choice.

Bravery could be getting up every day with mental health problems.

Bravery could be turning up to a job you hate, but you need it in order to pay the bills.

Bravery could be attending a funeral even when you feel like you’re about to break down.

Take a moment to give yourself the credit for all the times you refused to give up. You deserve that.

 

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