TRUTH TIME. There were many years in my marriage, in the boardroom, and — I’m embarrassed to admit this — but also with my children…where I kept my mouth shut.
John, my husband, would share the plans for the weekend and, while I love ‘us’ time, I’d be craving ‘me’ time. Out of fear of sounding selfish and assuming that my speaking up would cause a rift, I’d just keep my mouth shut. In my early days at Amazon, sitting in a meeting being one of only two females and not agreeing with the sales strategy we were creating, out of fear of appearing or sounding stupid, I would bite my tongue, mumble under my breath, and go along with it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been exhausted from parenting three boys and working full time, but more comfortable complaining than asking for help because there was no way I wanted to appear like I couldn’t do it.
The Upside? I stayed comfortable. I didn’t have to deal with possible rejection, arguing, or looking foolish.The Downside? My stuffing, ignoring, and silencing created resentment. Before I knew it, I would often feel disconnected, bored, and uninspired. Zero growth happens inside of our comfort zone.
My ego had massive power over my thoughts and actions, and it was literally killing my soul.
Ego sounds like… |
