What do you do when you have the opportunity to grow? We often think that we will jump at the chance, but when the rubber meets the road do you take a leap or slowly creep the other direction?
I recently attended Tony Robbins’ Unleash the Power Within event. Walking into the LA Convention Center filled with 15,000 people created a sense of awe within me and a determination to overcome the daunting fear of walking on fire…knowing that life will never be the same.
Tony Robbins is a master at helping people, for 42 years now, conquer self-sabotage and tap into their inner strength so that they can live life from that place. Walking on fire is day one of the experience.
The power of intention is the “how to” approach for every art piece that I create. Before painting, I set an intention, turn on music that inspires me, and paint my heart out until the piece is complete. That said, I still feel fear with every blank canvas that is in front of me. And at the same time, I know that I can feel that fear and open up to the creative power within. I trust that power within myself.
Life can often prepare us in funny ways to level up. From the moment I was invited to UPW, I knew deep down that this fire walk would be a similar act of creation. Just one week before the event at Camille Styles SXSW party, I held a huge boa constrictor around my neck with a smile! Its only natural that walking on fire would be my next challenge!
For the last decade, my work has been focused around be-ing the change and inspiring others. As a coach, I am a teacher and a guide, but I’ve always believed that it is through being that change that you can truly make a difference in the world. I set the intention to empower myself and walk for all women. What happened next felt like painting an art piece.
Carl Jung developed the concept of archetypes, universal patterns that are in the psyche and collective unconscious and influence our behavior. The saboteur, for example, shows up when we are given an opportunity and literally sabotage what is in our highest good. Learning to see this pattern allows us to make a more conscious choice in a situation and choose what is best for ourselves.
Outside the LA Convention Center, in a sea of darkness, I got in line to walk across the coals, the physical representation of the forces against you whether it is your own fear or external forces. Tony teaches you how to conquer the fear every step of the way. I watched person after person walk across the fire and celebrate their power like nothing I have ever seen before. I also saw some turn around at the face of uncertainty and make their way back inside. Those that celebrated their empowerment screamed with a delight that I have never heard in my life. When it was my turn to step up to the fire, I repeated my intention and listened to my intuition. I knew it was my time. There was no turning back.
I was conscious of my inner saboteur and had I been led to turn around, I would have trusted that and accepted it. That simply wasn’t where I was at. I knew my intention, Tony fully prepared us, and I was ready.
Words can’t describe the sense of power and joy within me after I walked across that fire. My life will never be the same. I don’t have all the answers to what that means, and at the same time, I can share that’s simply not how life works.
Life is fully lived when you can take one step and let the next unfold. That step may be looking at potential job opportunities, going on a date, or walking on fire. All that matters is that you take one step. @RobinEmmerich (Click to Tweet!)
On the other side of that fire was everything I’ve ever wanted.
A knowing that if I could walk on fire, I could do anything.
It begins with awareness and intention. And it doesn’t have to begin with walking on fire. When you are ready to look within, you have access to what that next step is for you.
Dig deep. Its right in front of you. What is the one step that you can take today?
Robin Emmerich has spent close to a decade coaching some of the most successful women in business. Even with their considerable success, the common denominator is that as much as they seemed to be cruising through life on the outside, they were melting on the inside. It’s why Robin just launched Beauty and the Mess—an athleisure brand creating a sisterhood who understands that life is messy and difficult and challenging, but together, can find the strength to prioritize passion over perfection and fearlessly seek beauty in their everyday lives. She currently offers the CIJourney online course, based on the famed Stanford Masters Degree Course, ‘Creativity in Business,’ individual coaching and worldwide retreats. Connect with Robin at robinemmerich.com on Instagram, or beautyandthemess.com.
