Summertime is filled with a beautiful energy—with longer days to celebrate life, vibrant colors and scents filling nature’s landscape, and more time to reflect. I am so grateful for the warmth and beauty of summer.

Although I have written all of my blogs in prose, many of you know that poetry was always my first love, so as a writer, I will continue to move between the two.This month I would like to share a poem I have recently written entitled Boxes, which speaks to the very important topic of authenticity.

One of my ultimate life goals is to stir up meaningful conversation—to get people thinking and speaking about important concepts and then taking action towards necessary change.

I am still trying to come up with other platforms to do this, but for now I will focus on my blog and my workshops.

Before reading this poem, I would like you to consider the following questions:

• What is good and bad—right and wrong?
• What is acceptable—normal?
• Who defines these concepts and why?
• What are some of the shoulds that constrict your life?
• Do you box people in or feel boxed in by the expectations of others?
• What are you more of—a copy or an original?
• Is your life really working for you?
• Are you willing to dig deep enough to answer these questions?

Boxes has been written with an open mind and heart, so please read it in the same way. The intention is for you to evaluate your life—not judge it. Examine it and become aware of the truth of your life.

Boxes:

We need laws to maintain order
and rules to keep people in line.
We need guidelines and parameters,
borders and boundaries that define.

Together, they help us to feel safe:
protected and secure.
Without them, life would be scary,
perhaps even difficult to endure.

But together, they can also be dangerous,
if improperly used.
We all know the possible tragic consequences
of power abused.

The ultimate question we have to ask is:
Who gets to decide?
And who draws the line
on whether or not one needs to abide?

People are constantly telling us
what is right and what is wrong.
They also tell us what to say, feel, and do
in order to fit in and belong.

They tell us what is good and bad—
what is “acceptable” and what is not.
And in these highly subjective opinions,
we often get stifled and caught.

People attempt to define “normal”
and even try to give it a mold,
but on this particular concept,
I’ve never truly been sold.

When we apply the shoulds of others,

we subconsciously erect a wall,

and soon enough we’re living from a space

that feels exceedingly cramped and small.

You see, the walls inevitably form a box,

which encloses and cages us in.

Trapped and imprisoned by false expectation—

we cannot possibly win.

I’m sick and tired of boxes,

they are restrictive and confining.

And the idea of “normal”

is in definite need of refining.

We must not mold the human race
into specific shapes and sizes.
Being vulnerable sometimes means
accepting the truth of whatever arises.
The beauty of life can often be found
in all of its little surprises.

I admire authenticity;
I say embrace your truth.
This is an essential message
that we must also instill in our youth.

As adults we try to shape and construct,
to direct and to control,
but true living is all about realizing
the true expression of your soul.

For your soul, everything is possible;
it is limitless and unbounded.
It is made up of so many hopes and dreams,
of endless goals and desires compounded.

So don’t manufacture copies of the same,
instead encourage originality and imagination.
Our society needs unique and happy individuals
who can offer creativity and innovation.

And don’t merely try to belong and fit in
by becoming something that you’re not,
or the story of your life will be left with nothing more
than a very unhappy and confusing plot.

Get curious and seek to explore—
set the intention to expand your mind.
Give the true you permission to emerge;
he or she won’t be too hard to find.

To do so, you will have to choose
courage over comfort and resilience too.
But in the end you will always know
that you did what was best for you!

Enjoy the rest of your summer and happy reading and reflecting.

Sincerely,
Coach Terri