Have you ever watched a penguin walk... okay, walk is too kind... waddle across land? They are awkward and ungainly with their non-existent legs and chubby bellies. They almost appear as if they were made by mistake- a cruel joke by universe.

Until you see them in water.

There they turn into graceful and beautiful creatures who swim at incredibly speeds and with tremendous agility. Recently, I was able to see African penguins in their natural habitat and was totally awe-struck at how quickly the flightless birds can switch from awkward floofs into sleek fishing-machines. 

There are a lot of days that can make us feel like a penguin on land- totally out of our element. Things feel impossible to accomplish, the world feels like it is out to get us, success feels a million miles away. It is so easy to feel like you are the problem... that you aren't good enough or that you are a failure. What if it isn't you, but your environment that is holding you back? Like a penguin on land, maybe you just need to find the ocean to be at your best.

When I think back to the times that I've felt totally paralyzed by anxiety and the endless cycle of hopeless thoughts, there tends to be one common theme- I was engulfed by the negativity of my environment. Being isolated from other people or surrounded by mess, noise, and chaos, can make me feel like a penguin on land. I am uncomfortable and unproductive. It is easy to blame oneself for those feelings but take a step back, survey your environment, and see what may be holding you back. You may just need to physically leave the space you are in or maybe distance yourself from the people (or other penguins) that aren't positively contributing to your wellbeing. Whether we like it or not, our environment has a huge impact on us, but fortunately we have control over it.

Go find your ocean.