The Overripe Bananas

The kitchen was quiet except for the hum of the fridge and the occasional dramatic sigh coming from the fruit bowl.

Three bananas slumped together in the corner.

Soft. Spotty. Definitely overripe.

One of them groaned. “Well,” he said, “this is it.”

“What do you mean?” asked another.

“We’ve gone too far.”

 

The apple beside them rolled slightly away.

“I’m just saying,” the apple said smugly, “people like crisp fruit. Structure. Shine. Stability.”

The bananas fell silent.

Not long ago, they had been the chosen ones:

• Lunchboxes.
• Smoothies.
• Quick breakfasts on the way out the door.

Now:

• They felt too soft.
• Too messy.
• A little overlooked.

Then came footsteps.

The woman entered the kitchen, glanced at the bowl, and smiled.

“Perfect,” she said.

The bananas blinked.

“Sorry,” whispered one. “Was she talking to us?”

She was.

One by one, she peeled them open and dropped them into a mixing bowl. Soon, the kitchen filled with the smell of cinnamon, sugar, and something warm beginning to take shape.

“Wait,” said one banana slowly, “are we becoming banana bread?”

An hour later, the loaf came out golden and steaming.

The family gathered almost instantly.

“Banana bread?” someone asked happily.

“Mmm,” the woman said. “The overripe bananas were just right.”

And suddenly the bananas understood:

• They had not become less valuable.
• They were simply useful in a different way.
• Sometimes we do this to ourselves, too.

We may think:

• I’m too much.
• Too emotional.
• Too quiet.
• Too intense.
• Too different.
• Too late.

But often, the qualities you are trying to hide are the very things that belong somewhere else.

The goal is not to become more like everyone around you.

It’s to find the place where what you naturally bring is needed.

If you’re unsure where you may shine, try these 3 things:

1. Notice what comes naturally to you – What do people consistently come to you for?

Listening? Ideas? Calmness? Energy? Perspective?

Your strengths often feel ordinary to you because they come so naturally.

2. Pay attention to where you feel most alive

Not perfect. Not impressive. Alive.

What conversations, environments, or activities leave you feeling more like yourself afterwards?

That matters.

3. Stop asking “What’s wrong with me?”

Start asking: “Where might this quality be useful?”

A strength in one place can feel like “too much” in another.

Context changes everything.

Because sometimes, before we become something meaningful to share, we first have to stop trying to stay perfectly yellow.

I’m Sarah Cretegny, an Accredited Transitions Coach. I help individuals, groups and teams to navigate real life transitions without losing themselves.

I’m particularly effective when time is limited and the stakes are high. I draw on evidence-based coaching approaches, strengths expertise, and my lived experience of balancing leadership, family life, and international living. I’m deeply passionate about partnering with people to coach their wild, because the world needs more radically authentic leaders now more than ever.

I am based in Lausanne, Switzerland and coach virtually globally. Find my links here.