I've had the amazing opportunity to learn more about the technical side of websites these past several months. I've learned how to code (aka "build" websites) in new ways, make websites responsive (as in: look pretty on all modern devices like smart phones and tablets!) and am learning more of the "languages" used for coding. I love learning new things... so this is all very exciting and interesting to me.
I often think back to where my journey with building websites began. A very basic level of HTML instruction in college. My third design job out of school where the senior designer taught me how to create websites and email templates straight from my art files. Those early days of learning how to build custom WordPress websites one "I wonder what this will do" tweak at a time (I broke many, many client websites in those days). The random micro lessons from developers that had become friends over the years.
So when my development mentor started referring to me as a "front end engineer" I had to chuckle. Quite honestly, I felt like an impostor because I always believed I'm simply "a designer who knows how to code." I found myself saying things like, "I don't actually know what I'm doing..."
But the truth is, I do know what I'm doing and I'm doing it really well.
My understanding of languages and fancy development trickery has increased tremendously (even if I still often refer to it as "fancy development trickery"). By choosing to believe I'm still who I once was, just a designer who knows how to code, I've been limiting my ability to step into my new skill set as a designer and front end engineer. To be who I am now, rather than who I've been for years.
I share this as an example of how easy it is to box ourselves in and set ourselves up to get stuck.
Believing you're who you once were, no matter how recent, is planting the seeds for limiting beliefs that will hold you back for years to come.
You're not who you once were.
You're not the kid who couldn't color inside the lines.
You're not the teenager who made bad choices on the regular.
You're not the college student who drank too much and got bad grades.
You're not the guy or gal who broke that sweet person's heart.
You're not even the same person who rolled out of bed in a funk last week.
You're also not the basketball champ you were in high school.
You're not the award winning professional (from last week or five years ago).
You're not the awesome girlfriend you were two days ago.
You're you, in this moment right here.
The person who's learned and grown from each win and epic failure in your life. The person who's also learned and grown from every moment, interaction, challenge and experience you've had this week. This very day.
You have to let go of who you once were in order to be who you are today, fully and completely. Sometimes that version is far better, more advanced and wiser than the past models. Sometimes that version is starting over, a little raw, and in need of some new wins. Whatever the version, you're amazing, perfect, and exactly where you need to be to build the life, relationships, career or business you want to build.
Release your attachment to the versions, mistakes, titles, successes and failures of your past. They were awesome and awful, and they're absolutely a part of your story... but they don't define you in this moment. The only thing that defines you is who you choose to be and the actions you choose to take right now.
So if you want to be better, to change your story up, or if you want to try something new, just do it. You have the power to create a new you, life, career, relationship and reality from the choices you make in this moment, your past be damned!
Nothing defines you unless you let it.
So stop letting it define you and start choosing to be the person that you want to be. Start choosing to build the life you want to live and to fulfill all your wildest dreams.
It's 100 percent up to you... so what will you choose right now?
Stephenie Zamora is the founder of www.stepheniezamora.com, a full-service, life-purpose development, design and branding boutique. Through her Mastery program, she merges the worlds of personal development and branding to help men and women build passion-based lives and businesses they love. Click here to access her free Foundations for Unshakable Joy™ video training series and learn the unexpected trick to transforming your life with one single question!
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