Reaching Maximum Potential

As a child and young adult I battled regularly with a whole array of demons. Family dysfunction and abuse led to creating a defensive psychological shell around myself. Accompanying this was extreme lack of self esteem and high levels of fear reactivity in all social contact. My genetically defined physicality was lacking any advantage except being tall. I was overfat, under-muscled, athletically inept and always the "last one picked" for the very few sports I ever engaged in.

But I eventually came to realize that these circumstances and disadvantages were not me. My true self lay somewhere deeper within, untouched by the trauma and waiting to emerge. The path I am now on is allowing that self, the real me, to manifest itself more and more everyday. This path consists of a daily practice of melting away the slag and allowing the gold to shine through.

You too can choose the path you will follow. The downward spiral ruminates in the past and focuses on the attacks to our ego. The upward spiral, while not easy, leads to realizing the amazing potential that is inside each one of us.

The lyrics of the song "Everyday Glory" by one of my favorite bands, Rush, tells a similar story with captivating imagery:

In the house where nobody laughs
And nobody sleeps
In the house where love lies dying
And the shadows creep
A little girl hides shaking
With her hands on her ears
Pushing back the tears
'Til the pain disappears

Mama says some ugly words
Daddy pounds the wall
They can fight about their little girl later
Right now they don't care at all

No matter what they say...
No matter what they say...
No matter what they say...
No matter what they say...

Everyday people
Everyday shame
Everyday promise shot down in flames
Everyday sunrise
Another everyday story
Rise from the ashes and blaze
In everyday glory

In the city where nobody smiles
And nobody dreams
In the city where desperation
Drives the bored to extremes
Just one spark of decency
Against a starless night
One glow of hope and dignity
A child can follow the light

No matter what they say...
No matter what they say...
No matter what they say...
No matter what they say...

Everyday people
Everyday shame
Everyday promise shot down in flames
Everyday sunrise
Another everyday story
Rise from the ashes and blaze
In everyday glory

If the future's looking dark
We're the ones who have to shine
If there's no one in control
We're the ones who draw the line
Though we live in trying times
We're the ones who have to try
Though we know that time has wings

We're the ones who have to fly...

Comments

[Al]

Well said, Jeff. Thank you for writing this. And you know, this could almost be my story too. I had a similar dysfunctional childhood, and it took me a long time to start melting the slag, as you put it.

As soon as you said, "You too can choose the path you will follow", I thought of a Rush song too, but a different one, one that inspired me years ago when it first came out, "Free Will".

Thank you again for this.

[Kathryn Woodall]

Jeff,

You are such a fit, inspiring, and dedicated person that it is a challenge to see the childhood you came from. Very well done, my friend!

[Shane Heins]

Jeff, thanks very much for sharing that. Your example stands as a testament to that upward spiral towards the gold within.

And by the sounds of it, all the incredible work you've done thus far on the path to that potential, has merely scratched the surface of Jeff Larson, and what's to come;).

All the Best!