I never thought I’d do this…but it changed me.

Ten years ago, I found myself grappling with a question that quietly changed my life: "Who have you not given yourself the chance to be?" In other words, in what ways had I unconsciously written myself off, without genuinely exploring whether these self-imposed limits were true?

If you're anything like me, you’ve probably pre-decided many times that certain activities, experiences, or roles simply weren't "you"—without ever truly verifying if that was accurate. In 2015, the label I’d firmly applied to myself was “not adventurous.” Adventure, to my mind, belonged to other people—brave souls who thrived on excitement and fearlessness. Certainly not me.

Yet, beneath that certainty lay curiosity. Secretly, I yearned to be at least a little adventurous. I felt a pull toward the excitement I saw in others, even though it seemed out of reach for someone like me.

But labels, as it turns out, are powerful only because we let them be. They are filters through which we simplify decisions: "I can't possibly do that—it's for adventurous people. Not for me." Recognizing this, I became aware that the label I’d chosen was holding me back from discovering my true self.

Luckily, thanks to some gentle trickery by a dear friend, I found myself committed to skydiving—an act undeniably reserved for "adventurous people." Standing on the edge, heart racing, utterly terrified yet oddly excited, I confronted the limits of my self-definition. The moment I jumped, something profound shifted inside me. Perhaps I wasn’t ready to claim the title "adventurous," but I also knew I could no longer remain "not adventurous." I became something new, something in between—a person who could say yes to adventure.

So, here's the question I offer you now: In what ways have you written yourself off prematurely? Which parts of you are waiting, patiently, for you to explore their truth?

Throughout my years coaching clients, I've watched many rediscover themselves beyond the labels they had assumed were permanent. Clients who once firmly believed they couldn’t bake now say, “I am a baker.” Those who were convinced they lacked courage now proudly state, “I am brave.” Others who were terrified of public speaking now confidently affirm, “I can present to a group.” And those who doubted their creativity now recognize, “I create art.”

Now, it's your turn. Who might you discover yourself to be if you allowed yourself the opportunity? Perhaps you're closer than you think to becoming who you secretly wish to be.