How to Be Your Full-On Unapologetic Rockstar Self in 2023
A race car performs best when you drive it fast. In fact, if you try to drive it slow, it can sputter and jerk, kinda like it’s saying, “What the heck are you doing? I was meant to GO! Let’s GO!”
Race cars are created for speed. They’re built and tuned differently than normal cars. Even their tires are specially made for their job — to move fast, hug the road, and win.
For a race car, tune ups and maintenance are important, but the schedule for that is even different than a normal car.
If you own a race car, you have to understand it to best enjoy it. It’s not like it can’t drive slow; it can. It moves with the rest of the herd just fine.
But because it was meant for speed, it doesn’t shine in the slow lane. To be all it’s meant to be, it has to run the track and open up fully. When we let it be what it was designed for, whoa, we can tell! It’s beautiful and exciting.
Some of us are like race cars.
And it’s okay to admit you are one.
The sooner you understand that trying to be “normal” isn’t going to help you, the sooner you’ll be able to live in the groove you were born for.
Some of you were born for that speed and intensity. Self-care is still important, but it’s different. It’s great to know this. As you listen to the world telling you to slow down and rest, know that message doesn’t serve you best.
Only you know what serves you best. It’s okay to not be normal.
We know you can run with the pack and seem normal. You’ve lived your whole life learning how to fit in. But you weren’t made to fit in.
We also know that underneath the hood, you were built for speed. And if you don’t allow yourself to open up fully, to be who you were born to be, you’ll always feel held back. That’s a heavy weight for a race car.
Race car.
Race horse.
Rocket ship.
Speed boat.
Bullet train.
Rock star.
Pick the metaphor you like the best.
These amazing things exist and their energy thrives with speed and intensity—with unbridled passion.
When you live like a race car, you also live practicing a level of awareness that puts you in a particular place of noticing how everything else is running.
It can be excruciating not to be able to drop the pedal to the floor. It can be excruciating listening to all the “you should” and “it’s best if” well-meaning messages, when you truly understand yourself and know you’re not meant for them.
You may even doubt yourself sometimes. Maybe I really should listen and slow down. What if something happens?
Thanks, fear, but we got this.
I know myself. I trust her. I’ve spent a lifetime getting to know her and building the courage to let her out, like for realz.
You’re a race car — a rock star — a sacred machine built for high performance.
You’re beautiful. Be you.
It’s okay to leave others in the dust. You were built for that.
But guess what? There are so many other race cars! They love to go fast, too! They can keep up. They won’t look at you sideways when you tell them how much energy you have. They won’t bat an eye at your speedometer. They’ll just ask with excitement in their eyes, “How fast can you go?”
They’ll remind you to get your tune ups, but they’ll never hold you back from finding out what you’re made of. They’ll always encourage you to go for what else is possible.
They know. They know you were meant to live at full throttle. They know it’s where you shine. They understand and bank on your ability to be you. They count on it. It’s what helps them do their thing, too.
Now, a real race car story.
My Mustang (Jaime, after Jaime Sommers) has a racing tune — a modification made after I bought her. When you go under 30, she jerks and sputters. Oh, it hurts. Track Mode on the car is where she loves to be. She’s so fired up there, you barely have to press the gas pedal and she’s over 100 mph. Driving her is scary and frickin exhilarating.
Some days I feel I don’t deserve to drive her. I was never trained to drive a race car. But we get each other. She understands the adrenaline rush isn’t my thing anymore. She puts up with me. And I respect her boundaries.
On the ground (in life and work), I run at 150 mph. I’m too much for people most days. The best of my friends put up with me. They’re the biggest gifts, the ones who allow me to be all of me, and don’t shy away from the speed. They understand the boundaries I put up. And even if they don’t like them, they aren’t offended. They get it. My race car friends, ah, they’re the best. The ones who try to tell me to “slow down” or “take a break” drive me insane. I wasn’t made for the slow lane. Please don’t try to coax me there with your fear.
For any of you who aren’t running (and don’t wish to) like a race car, this post isn’t for you so much. It’s great to understand your race car friends, though. And I hope you do, a little bit more now.
Carry on with all your badassery my friends. We have a New Year coming up, and need to get to sharing all our amazing world-changing gifts! The world needs us to shine, at 30 mph, or over 100.
Allow your friends and family to be themselves. Love them fully and fiercely, exactly as they are. Watch as that acceptance becomes the magic that moves your relationship (and life) to another level.
Laura Di Franco is the CEO of Brave Healer Productions, an award winning publishing company for holistic health and wellness professionals. Learn more HERE.
