A Different Way of Being

We are creatures of habit—but not just in what we do.

We’re habitual in how we see ourselves.

“I’m the one who always overthinks.”

“I’m not great with people.”

“I just don’t have that kind of confidence.”

These identities can feel permanent—but they’re not.

They’re rehearsed roles.

And if you’ve ever acted in a play, or just surprised yourself and acted differently in a situation, you know: you can step into a new character.

You can try on different energy, posture, voice, perspective—even if it’s unfamiliar at first.

With enough rehearsal, it starts to feel more natural.

That’s why reminding ourselves of a different way of being is powerful.

Not because we’re pretending.

But because we’re remembering we have range.

Psychologically, this is called self-expansion—the idea that we grow by incorporating new perspectives, skills, and experiences into our sense of self.

Even brief reminders of who else we could be—calmer, braver, more open, less defensive—can begin to loosen the grip of the roles we’ve outgrown.

Sometimes the “different way of being” is one we’ve tasted before: when we were on stage, or in love, or on vacation, or just having a good day.

Other times, it’s something we’ve only seen in others—but we admire it.

We feel drawn to it.

That pull matters.

That’s your growth edge calling.

In Acting Out of Character™ workshops, we practice this on purpose.

We give ourselves permission to rehearse different ways of being—curious instead of critical, assertive instead of avoidant, connected instead of guarded.

And in doing so, we remember something vital:

We are not just who we’ve been.

We are who we’re becoming.