In the spring of 2021, I left the familiar landscapes of my birth country, Nigeria and ventured into the unknown realms of the United Kingdom. No one could have prepared me for the immediate shock that slapped me upon my arrival. I felt like a child, navigating through a world where everything seemed so different from what I knew. The shocks of cultural disparities, language nuances, and societal norms constantly clashed with my preconceived notions. It was a battle between the comfort of 'my bubble' and the challenges of 'my new reality'. Yet, deep down, I recognised that in order to truly progress, I needed to burst that bubble.
No one could have prepared me for the immediate shock that slapped me upon my arrival.
What does 'bubble' mean in this context? Bubble signifies the sacred space we construct around ourselves—a realm of comfort and familiarity, encasing our routines and perceived limitations. Bubble is our country, our race, our tribe, our social circles and our education. It influences our beliefs, expressions, associations and biases. It is essentially the mirror through which we instinctively perceive ourselves and the world.
It is essentially the mirror through which we instinctively perceive ourselves and the world.
Our bubble stands as an unwavering grounding force, deeply rooted in our essence and intrinsic to our identity. It serves as the bedrock upon which our values, beliefs, and experiences are built. Our bubble is our sanctuary, a realm of comfort and belonging where we find solace in the familiar. However, to truly soar to new heights, we must summon the courage to shatter its confines and venture into uncharted territory. Bursting our bubble becomes the transformative act of defying self-imposed limitations and embracing the boundless possibilities that lie beyond.
Bursting my bubble turned out to be a delightful challenge, where I had to playfully suppress my oh-so-Nigerian tendencies to be judgmental about the unfamiliar (although I must admit, they sneakily resurface from time to time! 😂). It meant that I had to maintain a posture of openness and genuine interest in learning diverse perspectives. It meant learning to say medicine at the pharmacy instead of drugs and becoming a pro at navigating the ever-unpredictable UK weather 😂. I have since softened my once impenetrable guard and opened up to new relationships, expanded my genre of books, become a love-island commentator 😂 and challenged my assumptions.
It meant that I had to maintain a posture of openness and genuine interest in learning diverse perspectives.
Bursting your bubble could mean betting on yourself and applying for that opportunity you are scared to get a rejection on, learning how to swim (bombastic side eye to me 😒), speaking up and sharing your ideas, leaving that job (please be smart about this), starting that new venture and travelling the world (if you can afford to). It also could mean cutting off that devil you know and embracing the angel you don't know 😂. Can I hear an Amen?
Life has an uncanny ability to surprise and inspire us when we venture beyond our comfort zones. It's on the other side of our bubble where new perspectives, thrilling challenges, and profound personal growth eagerly await. It's a place where the ordinary transforms into the extraordinary, and where the mundane gives way to the remarkable. By venturing beyond the familiar, we break free from self-imposed limitations and open ourselves to fresh opportunities. Our bubble, once an anchor, becomes a launching pad propelling us towards personal growth, resilience, and the extraordinary tapestry of life that awaits us.
At this point, I will like you to reflect on your own specific bubble and envision the extraordinary life that awaits you when you dare to burst it. What dreams could you pursue? What fears could you conquer? What new horizons could you explore? True growth comes from daring to venture beyond the confines of our bubbles. It is in those moments of discomfort, when we challenge our preconceived notions and step into the unknown, that we truly flourish.
True growth comes from daring to venture beyond the confines of our bubbles.
So here is the big question - will you be bursting that bubble today?