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How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners
10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation
What is Meditation?
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How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners
10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation
What is Meditation?
Benefits of Mindfulness: Mindful Living Can Change Your Life
Mindfulness 101: A Beginner's Guide
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Hi, welcome back to your Daily Mindfulness. In today's session, I want to talk about how we can sometimes mistake our fear of being seen for humility. So I want to start by sharing a quick story. I had a friend who had an opportunity to take a leadership position within her company. It would often involve her being on a stage presenting, organizing different events where she was, in many ways, the center of attention, or at least the organizing force behind it.
And it did involve being seen a lot. And the narrative that she told herself, because she ended up not taking it was one of, you know, I don't really need to do something like that. I don't need the spotlight. I prefer not to be in the spotlight. And it had this flavor of trying to be humble, almost as if it was a virtuous thing to let someone else take that position.
But over time as the years went on and we talked more and more about it and look back on that moment, what emerged was less that this was a an experience of humility and a virtuous decision and more that it was actually a fear of being seen, a fear of taking up space, a fear of putting herself out there. And this is a common experience that I see a lot. I've also seen it for myself, where we can mistake our fear of being seen for humility or at least position our fear of being seen as humility. And disguising fear as a virtue is a convenient way to avoid feeling the pain of not having stepped fully into our life. If we do feel fear around doing something, which inherently has some discomfort to it and we don't want to take on that fear or move through it, one of the ways that we can justify it or the mind justifies it is by saying, well, you know, I don't need to do that.
I'm fine where I am right now. I'm a humble person. I don't need the spotlight. Someone else can take that on. Do you see how that narrative can be a compelling way and a convenient way for us to not actually moved through some discomfort that does involve us stepping into something that may be uncomfortable and fearful, but is actually important for us to live a more fully expressed life? Now I'm not saying we have to move through all those fear barriers.
And I'm not saying we have to move into positions of being seen, if that doesn't feel right for us. But I do want to invite you to explore this in your own life and maybe times where it can be a convenient switching of language or reframing of the experience as, oh, I'm just, I'm taking a back seat. I'm letting someone else have the spotlight. When really it's a fear of taking up space and being seen, and that might be a growth edge for you. Sometimes the growth edge is the opposite.
We're very comfortable being seen and what we do need to do is practice taking a back seat for someone else. So it's, it's always a process of discernment for what our path is and where we are in that moment. But I hope it's something that you can consider on your own growth journey. That fear of being seen is not the same as humility, but sometimes we can hide behind the virtue of humility to not feel the pain that comes with not stepping into our life fully. Thank you for your practice.
Let's settle in for today's meditation.
Fear of Being Seen
Personalized support for learning how to integrate mindfulness into your life. Delivered fresh everyday by our world renowned experts. Choose meditation duration:
Duration
Your default time is based on your progress and is changed automatically as you practice.
Hi, welcome back to your Daily Mindfulness. In today's session, I want to talk about how we can sometimes mistake our fear of being seen for humility. So I want to start by sharing a quick story. I had a friend who had an opportunity to take a leadership position within her company. It would often involve her being on a stage presenting, organizing different events where she was, in many ways, the center of attention, or at least the organizing force behind it.
And it did involve being seen a lot. And the narrative that she told herself, because she ended up not taking it was one of, you know, I don't really need to do something like that. I don't need the spotlight. I prefer not to be in the spotlight. And it had this flavor of trying to be humble, almost as if it was a virtuous thing to let someone else take that position.
But over time as the years went on and we talked more and more about it and look back on that moment, what emerged was less that this was a an experience of humility and a virtuous decision and more that it was actually a fear of being seen, a fear of taking up space, a fear of putting herself out there. And this is a common experience that I see a lot. I've also seen it for myself, where we can mistake our fear of being seen for humility or at least position our fear of being seen as humility. And disguising fear as a virtue is a convenient way to avoid feeling the pain of not having stepped fully into our life. If we do feel fear around doing something, which inherently has some discomfort to it and we don't want to take on that fear or move through it, one of the ways that we can justify it or the mind justifies it is by saying, well, you know, I don't need to do that.
I'm fine where I am right now. I'm a humble person. I don't need the spotlight. Someone else can take that on. Do you see how that narrative can be a compelling way and a convenient way for us to not actually moved through some discomfort that does involve us stepping into something that may be uncomfortable and fearful, but is actually important for us to live a more fully expressed life? Now I'm not saying we have to move through all those fear barriers.
And I'm not saying we have to move into positions of being seen, if that doesn't feel right for us. But I do want to invite you to explore this in your own life and maybe times where it can be a convenient switching of language or reframing of the experience as, oh, I'm just, I'm taking a back seat. I'm letting someone else have the spotlight. When really it's a fear of taking up space and being seen, and that might be a growth edge for you. Sometimes the growth edge is the opposite.
We're very comfortable being seen and what we do need to do is practice taking a back seat for someone else. So it's, it's always a process of discernment for what our path is and where we are in that moment. But I hope it's something that you can consider on your own growth journey. That fear of being seen is not the same as humility, but sometimes we can hide behind the virtue of humility to not feel the pain that comes with not stepping into our life fully. Thank you for your practice.
Let's settle in for today's meditation.
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This is the app I turn to when I want to feel calm and loved.
- Abby
Melli has a beautiful way of guiding and reminding us of the stillness within.
- Adrienne James
I have been on a journey of healing and learning self-love. Amidst the work, I have been using the mindfulness app for the gentle reminders, guides to the moment (especially the difficult ones).
Kelly Boys offers a fresh and illuminating take on how to step out of lifelong patterns that keep snagging us.
- Tara Brach, PhD
Truly life changing. This isn't solely meditation and mindfulness...this is about striving to be the best the versions of ourselves.
- Marisa, Plus+ Member
Relaxing and assuring beyond description... thank you, Cory.
- Babs312
This is the app I turn to when I want to feel calm and loved.
- Abby
Melli has a beautiful way of guiding and reminding us of the stillness within.
- Adrienne James
I have been on a journey of healing and learning self-love. Amidst the work, I have been using the mindfulness app for the gentle reminders, guides to the moment (especially the difficult ones).
Kelly Boys offers a fresh and illuminating take on how to step out of lifelong patterns that keep snagging us.
- Tara Brach, PhD
Truly life changing. This isn't solely meditation and mindfulness...this is about striving to be the best the versions of ourselves.
- Marisa, Plus+ Member
Relaxing and assuring beyond description... thank you, Cory.
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Shamash's guidance is a gift of wisdom to help us in our busy and stressful lives.
- Paul Gilbert, PhD, FBPsS, OBE, Centre for Compassion Research and Training, University of Derby, United Kingdom
Excellent! Cory gently guides you into internal peace.
- Steve Ericson
A necessary tool for those who feel lost.
- Piper
Just want to say a big thankyou to all involved as this has had a positive impact in my daily life 🙏 Valuable teachings that have allowed me to have a better relationship not only with those around me, but with myself. Heal ourselves and we heal the world 💫✨🌍
- Marty
I start every day with Cory or Melli for my daily practice. Including this app into my practice helps me continue to build more mental focus and understanding of my thought processes. What a welcome and powerful gift.
- Oku
Shamash's guidance is a gift of wisdom to help us in our busy and stressful lives.
- Paul Gilbert, PhD, FBPsS, OBE, Centre for Compassion Research and Training, University of Derby, United Kingdom
Excellent! Cory gently guides you into internal peace.
- Steve Ericson
A necessary tool for those who feel lost.
- Piper
Just want to say a big thankyou to all involved as this has had a positive impact in my daily life 🙏 Valuable teachings that have allowed me to have a better relationship not only with those around me, but with myself. Heal ourselves and we heal the world 💫✨🌍
- Marty
I start every day with Cory or Melli for my daily practice. Including this app into my practice helps me continue to build more mental focus and understanding of my thought processes. What a welcome and powerful gift.
- Oku
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