Ok, so this may be a bit of a strange one, but please hang in there with me. It’s a mind stretch, but one that got me thinking. 

I recently came back from an amazing trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. Thank you so much to my sister-in-law Rosa who planned and hosted this amazing experience.  For an animal/nature lover, it was truly an exceptional adventure.  And as I had the magical opportunity to walk among sea lions stretched out sleeping on the beach, iguanas piled up in large numbers to gather warmth, and giant tortoises munching on grass, I was so struck by how peaceful they were.  It was their land and we were the guests.  We had a required guide who made sure we didn’t intrude or bother them.  And as we learned the way that these animals and birds have evolved and thrived, the main point was that due to the isolation of the island (and more recently the protections of the government) these animals were free of predators.  They could be who they were and live so peacefully with their environment all because they did not have to worry about their safety.

So what has stayed with me since returning home to my job and my life is this:  Who would I be if I didn’t have any predators?  The ones that threaten me from without, but also, the predator that lives within me?

Maslow, the famous psychologist, in his hierarchy of needs, put safety as one of the foundational needs, only food, water and air coming before it.  He recognizes that we cannot “move up” the chain of other needs, establishing love, belonging, esteem and self actualization if we do not feel safe. Depending on our life circumstances, we may have to worry about crime, deportation, or domestic violence.  Or losing our rights, our employment, our housing, or our health.  These predators preoccupy us and maintaining safety from these threats become the necessary focus of our lives.  

And then there are the predators from within, the critical voices in our head that limit our freedoms.  Often the result of an internalization of external predators (angry parent, school yard bully, mean teacher that made us feel bad), we have a chorus of inner voices that shame and berate us; that doubt our abilities and limit our sense of opportunity.  These internal predators hold us back from trying new things, from taking risks, and from reaching for things we may dream of because of predicted failure and harsh judgments of any efforts to try.  These internal voices also reflect societal pressures and unhealthy cultural norms or unrealistic expectations that lead us to hide our true self away.  

So I ask myself, with a little bit of humor, is that momma sea lion laying on the beach sleeping soundly in the sun worried about looking fat?  Not to say she has no worries, mothering her pup, needing to fish. But overall she is relatively safe and free to live her sea lion life. The blue footed boobies that make their nests on the ground, we walk right by them, they show no fear of us in their space.  Again, it’s not that they don’t have to compete for a partner and protect their eggs, but they are free and able to live their best bird lives. The iguanas and tortoises are relaxed and free to be who they are meant to be. 

So I challenge you to ask yourself and play with the idea – who would I be if I had no predators?  Without any threats, how would I be different?  Feeling safe, how could I be more of who I was meant to be?