"HoldMeBack"

As a teenager we often engaged in a mock exercise of assisted restraint.  We would see/hear something trivial that, in theory, would trigger faux outrage from us.  In response we would then yell, "Hold me back, hold me back," and throw ourselves into the arms of a nearby friend who would supposedly serve as our restraining guardian.  The mimicry implied that we could not control ourselves from exacting justice, by violence if needed, to rectify the perceived "sin" of some other(s).

If was fun, it was cute, it was humorous. (We thought.)

As Alan Jackson might say, "But here in the real world" it's a different story.

We do, in fact, hold ourselves back.  Quite often, really.  Without the assistance of friends (though they are sometimes complicit).  Here are some of the ways we hold ourselves back:

• We choose to quit learning.
• We choose to NOT think critically, and for ourselves.
• We acquiesce to the status quo.
• We avoid the discomfort required for our growth.
• We fear failure to the point that we resist taking risks.
• We go along to get along (even when we don't feel "right" about it).

We sometimes do get "held back."  Most of the time, however, we're the ones holding ourselves back. 

That can stop today, if we so choose.