I have had an experience lately that has taught me about the importance of living true to who I am and what my purpose is. This experience has also taught me that it is so easy to get sidetracked by the noise and distractions of the world to a point that we forget who we really are. It has taught me of the need I have on a daily basis to remind myself of the most important thing - to be who I truly am regardless of what the world may think or say. And by doing that, I will be happy.
Summer has been a bit hard for me as life has slowed down in some ways and sped up in other ways. I have felt a little lost physically, mentally, and emotionally by the change in my schedule and routine. Unfortunately, change has the power to do that to us if we are not prepared for it. I suppose I wasn't prepared and even though I have been through this healing process, I am still not immune to falling. I started to become concerned again with what people thought of me. I felt the need to gain their approval and acceptance not just in how I looked, but also in what I did and in who I was. These beliefs caused me to become discouraged and depressed. I reverted to my previous coping behaviors in order to escape these negative feelings I was having. I struggled pinpointing exactly what was causing these negative feelings and behaviors to surface, until a couple days ago. I did a write and burn and it all came out, including the tears. I had let myself believe that if I wasn't good enough for certain people, then why keep trying. So I stopped caring about trying and like I said in my last post, when I stop caring, things tend to quickly go downhill for me, and I fall.
After burning the paper, I felt a huge weight lifted. I realized that it doesn't matter what these imperfect mortals think of me because they don't know who I really am. They don't know my intentions or see my heart. The most important thing I realized is that the people who truly know me, who know my heart, my weaknesses and my strengths, my flaws and my talents, my purpose and potential are the same beings who are absolutely perfect. They believe I can accomplish my purpose in this life even if I may make lots of mistakes along the way. And even with all those mistakes, they love me unconditionally. They are my Heavenly Father and my Savior, Jesus Christ. And guaranteed I have a Heavenly Mother up there too who believes in me just as much. They are perfect and yet they accept and approve of me more than anyone else. So why am I wasting my time trying to be approved of and accepted by imperfect mortal people? Why am I so concerned about what this world thinks of me when supreme, divine, heavenly beings think I am pretty special? As I remembered the love and acceptance I have from my perfect heavenly parents and my elder brother, Jesus Christ, I gained the power and confidence to go forward, being true to who I really am and true to the divine purpose I was given by my Heavenly Father long before my mortal life even began.
This is true for all of us my friends! This is who we all are! Divine children of God who gave us a mission and a purpose to fulfill during our mortal lifetimes unlike anyone else's. And because we are each so different and unique in who we are and in our purpose, we each have a responsibility to shine! God needs each one of us through our own powerful, unique, beautiful talents, gifts and purposes to make a difference in this world for good, to shed light on the darkness. We will each shine in different ways and in different colors, but no matter how we shine, our light will give warmth and color to a world where Satan is trying to make everything black, cold, hopeless and lightless.
Isn't that beautiful!! This is what we have the power to do!!
GOD'S LIGHT + BEING THE BRILLIANT, RADIANT, UNIQUE DIAMOND WE TRULY ARE = HAPPINESS AND A POWERFUL RAINBOW OF LIGHT THAT SHINES OUTWARD INFLUENCING ALL AROUND US!!
It's true my friends!!! I know this because I am living it!
Let's not let the mud and stains of the world cover up and bury the beautiful diamond that we are! Let's not let Satan darken and dim the bright light we were born with! Let's not let negative beliefs about ourselves cause us to hide how brilliant and radiant we really are! By reminding ourselves on a daily basis of who we truly are - our gifts, talents, our purpose and the desires of our heart - we can go forward in our day not only sharing our light with others, but also being happy! That is how it works!
So stand up straight facing the mirror with your shoulders back and your hands down at your side. Look at yourself in the mirror, right eye to right eye, for 2 minutes. Remember, the eyes are the window to the soul. So look into your soul. Don't just focus on the physical because you are not your body. You are your spirit! Look into your beautiful soul. Allow it to be seen. Who are you really? What does your spirit look like? Try to remain as physically still and as mentally positive as possible. Pay attention to how your body may fidget or move. Do you look away? Pay attention to what thoughts come into your head. What are you feeling? Take time to address those thoughts and feelings that come up. Why did you fidget or look away? Why did you feel that way? The end goal of this exercise is to be able to fill those 2 minutes not only thinking positive thoughts about yourself without looking away or fidgeting, but to also express out loud with power and conviction in your voice, the truth of who you really are, acknowledging your strengths, gifts and talents, and declaring your purpose in life.
Now I'll be the first one to admit that this was very hard for me in the beginning. I struggled looking at myself. I berated myself mentally thinking many negative thoughts. I had a hard time being still physically and not looking away. Over time, I moved from thinking negative thoughts to just being quiet in my mind and being still physically. That stillness in my mind and body allowed me to begin thinking positive thoughts. I had let go of the negative thus making space for the positive. Then I started to whisper those positive thoughts out loud. Today, I speak with boldness and power as I declare the truths about myself. Tears always fill my eyes as I remind myself in the mirror of who I really am and what God sent me here to do. It is such a powerful tool! My body and spirit crave it now, especially on those days that I may be struggling. I use this tool to lift my spirits and climb that ladder back up to the top of my life cycle.
This tool can also serve as a wonderful gauge to how you are progressing and healing. As you start to see how you react differently when you look in the mirror for those 2 minutes, you see how far you've come, where you're at, and where you still want to go. I have a gal that I am mentoring who has seen her progress through the use of this tool. In the beginning, she couldn't even stand to look at herself for 15 seconds! While she is still progressing, it has become something she can do and something she appreciates as it reminds her of who she really is as defined by her creator, God.
So don't let this tool get you frustrated. Be patient with it and don't give up on it. Continue pressing forward on your journey. Continue to be aware. Continue using the tools you have learned that will enable you to get back on top of your life cycle quicker. And continue to remind yourself of who you really are, what your unique gifts, talents and strengths are, and why God needs you on this earth at this time, shining your light out into the world and overpowering the darkness.
Repeat of Favorite Quote #7:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most...We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
Marianne Williamson, American author and lecturer
Favorite Scripture #13:
Let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
3 Nephi 12:16
We were born to shine! We were born to "make manifest the glory of God that is within us"! It is not prideful to acknowledge, embrace, love, and be who we truly are! It is what we were meant to do! We were meant to let our light shine so that we can be a tool in God's hand to bring others back to Him. We were meant to shine in order to empower and inspire others to shine too! But the really cool thing about this is that when we embrace and act on the truth of who we are, when we let our light shine, we feel greater joy and peace in our lives beyond what any other worldly pursuit could offer us. It's a win-win-win situation for God, us and all those within our influence! You are a powerful, brilliant, radiant, sparkling diamond! So embrace it! Be true to it! Look in that mirror and learn to love what you see in your beautiful soul!
Before you leave, click on this link to hear the song "Beautiful For Me" by Nicole Nordeman. And realize it's about you!
Then go . . .
be.YOU.tiful!!!
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