“What Do You See?”: The Courage to Face the Mirror

“What Do You See?”: The Courage to Face the Mirror
There’s something uniquely vulnerable about looking in the mirror. Not just to fix our hair or straighten our collar — but to really look. To pause and see ourselves as we truly are. And let’s be honest — sometimes, that reflection isn’t what we want it to be.

We see fear.

We see insecurities.

We see the places in ourselves we’ve worked hard to avoid — the doubts, the regrets, the heaviness of not yet being who we want to be.

But what if those things we see — those cracks and shadows — aren’t signs of weakness at all? What if they’re invitations?

I’m reminded of a moment from the movie Cool Runnings — a film full of unexpected wisdom. Yeah, yeah… I know I'm aging myself here, but stick with me. In one unforgettable scene, one of the characters is asked, “Tell me what you see when you look in the mirror.” At first, he struggles. Then, with rising confidence, he says:

“I see pride! I see power! I see a badass mother who don’t take no crap off of nobody!”

That’s the energy we deserve to see. But we don’t get there by skipping the hard parts. Sometimes, in order to see our power, we have to face the fear first. Sometimes, to rise, we have to be willing to fall apart a little.

Growth doesn’t happen in comfort. It happens in the shedding — like a snake discarding old skin, or a caterpillar dissolving in a cocoon before becoming something new. That process isn’t clean or pretty. It’s raw. It’s vulnerable. It’s uncomfortable. But it’s also necessary.

Maybe today, when you look in the mirror, you don’t see your full potential yet. That’s okay. Growth starts with honesty. It starts with being willing to admit: “Right now, I’m in between who I was and who I’m becoming.”

So the next time you face your reflection, don’t just look for flaws — look for fire. Look for the person who is walking through discomfort not because they’ve failed, but because they’re transforming.

You’re shedding what no longer serves you. You’re stepping into the unknown. And yes, it’s scary — but it’s also sacred.

Because that reflection? That’s a badass human who don’t take no crap off of nobody.