Why Is Believing In Yourself So Hard?
Why Is Believing In Yourself So Hard?
A reflection on the importance of reaching your full potential with Á'a:Líya Warbus.
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure - Marianne Williamson 1
But… why?
Why is it so difficult for us to see the potential in ourselves? I have always heard people say that you need to live up to your potential, but what is potential and why on earth should we try to reach it? Personally, (and this may seem somewhat dramatic), I think it is a mortal sin to not reach your full potential. Sin, in archery, means to miss the mark. Sometimes we miss the mark because of external factors, but often we miss the mark because we were not aiming. What is that old saying? You miss 100% of the shots you do not take. There is something to that.
We are all born with baggage and privileges. It is what we do with them that matters. But… you have to bet on yourself. It means putting your all in. The saying “you only live once” is incredibly cliche, but that is not a coincidence. Why would you leave anything on the table? David Goggins, a well respected author and motivational speaker shared a pretty stunning thought experiment he did.
In a podcast interview, he said he thinks about what it would be like to arrive at those pearly gates. He imagined a person at the gates, with a list of things God expected him to accomplish before he died. David wanted to shock that hypothetical person. He wanted to exceed the expectations of the people at those pearly gates. Goggins is now an ultramarathon runner, ultra-distance cyclist, triathlete, author and also broke the Guinness World Record for most pull ups done in 24 hours.
If he can do that… what could you do? What heights could you reach if you stopped looking down and you just started climbing? How much stronger could your family ties be if you committed to encourage and support the ones around you? How much better off could your community be if you shared all your gifts, talents, and passions with them? It’s a question without a definite answer, because the answer is absolutely 100% dependent on your effort and commitment to the endeavour.
That leads me to my guest this week…. Á'a:Líya Warbus is a writer, director, actress, hip hop artist, mother, paddler, pow-wow dancer, podcast host, activist and business owner. A jack of all trades. First and foremost, she demonstrates that we as people are multi-dimensional. We are complicated and unique. We cannot and should not be simply defined.
I discovered Á'a:Líya through the Stó:lō Signal Podcast and the comics pictured above. Sharon Desnomie and Á'a:Líya were highlighting the beauty of Indigenous culture and the steps being taken to rectify historic wrongs and re-establish Indigenous Peoples role as stewards of their land. They did this through education, and wove in art and story.
As many listeners may have heard me say previously, Indigenous people come from an oral tradition - so podcasts are in sync with that principle. It is such an honour to know I have heard from Indigenous leaders like Inez Louis, Derek Epp, David Jimmie, Eddie Gardner, Sonny McHalsie, and Shayla Raine in long-form conversations. In a similar vein, many people do not read for fun. The great thing about podcasts is that they are accessible. You can listen to them on your walk along the river, bike ride, commute to work, while cooking, or cleaning. I am always keen on hearing individuals who share their passion through podcasting.
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I was eager to sit down with Á'a:Líya to learn about her work as a filmmaker. I think it is important that we put forward the best of our cultures. In Canada, we live in a multicultural country. Sometimes I believe we forget what that means. It does not just mean we put up a flag. It means we share the most profound aspects of the teachings we learn when we are young. One such example is the Origin Story in the Reconciliation Agreement with Sts’ailes First Nation:
Before the world was here, the Sun and Moon fell in love; They sent their emotions and feelings towards each other and where those feelings met was where the world was created.
In the beginning, the world was covered with water and through time and evolution some beings took different shape and form:
Some became the winged;
Some became the four-legged fur bearing;
Some became the plant people and root people;
Some became the ones that swim in the rivers and oceans;
And some became the humans.
Early in time, we, the humans, were the weakest, And needed the most help to survive.
All our relations felt sorry for us; they took pity on us. An agreement was made where they agreed to give themselves to us, for:
Food,
Shelter,
Clothing,
Utensils,
and Medicine.
The only thing they asked for in return was to:
Be respected;
Be remembered;
Only take what we need;
Share with those that are less fortunate; and
To not gather or harvest at certain times and places to allow them to reproduce. Before we gather, harvest or hunt, we say a prayer of forgiveness and a prayer of thanks to “All Our Relations” for taking their life to feed our family, we commit to use everything, and we will share with those that are less fortunate.
In honouring this sacred agreement, we are the Stewards of the Land, Environment, the Winged, the Four-legged, the Plants, and the Ones that Swim in the rivers and oceans. 2
I would love to see that story turned into a movie, a children’s book, and see that statement throughout government buildings. It is not a lesson that divides us, it is a part of the culture that can bring us together, and make our social fabric stronger. That is the gift I think Á'a:Líya is sharing with our community. I think she is sharing the gift of storytelling through film and we are better off because of that. We are lucky to have her sharing her gift with us.
In this episode, I talk about her family, hip-hop, drugs, reaching your full potential, and the importance of finding your voice. As well, we talk about her father being THE Steven Point, self-expression, and her being on Spotify! We dive into so many different topics. I found Á'a:Líya to be incredibly thoughtful, reflective, and honest. She did not censor herself, she was genuine and shared her journey wholeheartedly - and I am incredibly grateful she did.
You can listen to her music on Spotify, and learn more about her work as a filmmaker on her website. As always, you can listen to our full interview on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and all other podcast platforms. You can also watch the full video interview on Spotify and YouTube.