Who do you love? I invite you to call them to the forefront of your mind for a moment. See them clearly. Think about the reasons you love them. Maybe it’s because they inspire you. Maybe you love their childlike personality. Maybe you love how they are assertive yet soft, self-assured yet humble, spontaneous yet methodical. Make a mental list of the qualities you adore.
Now call to mind the qualities you love most about yourself. Do you see your beauty? Do you recognize your creativity? Do you accept your sweetness and grace? Do you see yourself the way those who love you do?
Too often we shrink in the company of others. We shrink in the company of ourselves. We are Johnny on the spot with pointing out brilliance in another. It’s like pulling teeth to get us to speak up about the light qualities we embody. We say, “He is such a creative and successful guy.” Or “She is so talented and can do anything.” Yet, when someone says to us, “YOU are so graceful, beautiful, creative…” we undermine the compliment. We negate the truth being reflected back at us. We make ourselves out to be less than we are.
We see this small complex played out by the guy who says, “I can’t approach her, she wouldn’t want anything to do with me.” Or the woman who says, “I’m not going to share my idea for that project…they wouldn’t want to hear it anyway.” What does the guy know about the girl he’s running from? And who is ‘they’ anyway? ‘They’ are a set of individuals who are just like you and me and likely have the same misconceptions toxifying their minds. ‘They’ are a set of unique and brilliant people who also do not believe in their greatness.
Why is it we deflect recognition of the goodness within? Why do we dim the lights on our positive qualities?
The ego says if you accept and expose your brilliance, you’ll be seen as a know it all, as arrogant, stuck up or overly self-assured. The ego is responsible for whispering, “You aren’t good enough, sweet enough, talented enough, or beautiful enough.” It sees flaws rather than unique characteristics, weakness instead of strength, awkwardness instead of grace. It pre-defines your place in the world. It says you aren’t as good as the next guy. It says you can’t get the girl. It says you probably shouldn’t share your gifts because ‘they’ won’t be interested.
I’d like to share a brief video with you that so perfectly depicts the ‘small’ and ‘less than’ complex we all struggle with. Please take three minutes to watch.
It’s time to take back your light. It’s time to accept your brilliance. Please stop hiding behind others. Please don’t let your ego define you. Quiet your mind and let the negative self-talk fall away. Be still so you can hear your sweet, beautiful, gentle, loving, caring, tender, creative, motivated, healthy, talented, graceful, confident, joyful, happy self speak up.
Let your TRUE-SELF take center stage for a change. And next time, when someone compliments you, accept it with confidence and grace. They aren’t just being nice, they mean it.
