Bringing the Gift of Yourself to the World

“Words can sometimes, in moments of grace, attain the quality of deeds.”  Elie Wiesel

 

I just finished a wonderful course called Teaching for Transformation by the amazing Maria Sirois.  In the last class she asked a question that really ‘knocked the ball out of the park’, as she likes to say.

Questions, as we know, are a powerful tool for reigning us in and setting the stage for what we focus on.   It points us in the direction of where to look.

So here’s the question:  What would the world be missing if you were trying to be someone else?  What would we be losing if you weren’t yourself?

What a way to get us thinking about our strengths, abilities, attributes;  a way to really look at what gifts we bring to the world;  a way to step into our truest great self.

As Marianne Williamson so eloquently states:

“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 most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. 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 everyone. And as 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.”

We may worry about not being humble enough.   But “humility is not thinking less of yourself – it’s thinking of yourself less.”

When we know our specific ‘goods’ and we play them out loud, we are serving them forward in the most beautiful and giving way.   Tapping into our own greatness is the greatest way to honor our time and place here in our one life as we know it.

Words are powerful and they can really get us thinking in different ways.  One word change can create a shift in us and in how we might view something.  So instead of simply answering the question, ‘what are your good qualities and strengths’, this question asks us to look at ourselves in a more profound way, coming from the position that we’re each one-of-a-kind.  You, of course, may have a different way of viewing this question.  But it gets us to dig around more and see what we really have to offer.  It also may push us to the next step of, ‘ how do I get more of that me out there?’

As I’m doing more and more public speaking, I’m feeling this to a much greater degree.  I’m stepping into my self more and realizing how much there is in me that I want to give voice to and share.   And the more I do it, with the engagement, connection and resonance that occurs, the greater it feels.  It’s actually a ‘high’.

 

Check out these two and see what we would lose out on if they didn’t come forth in their truest selves.

 

 

 

 

What would the world be losing if I was trying to be someone else and wasn’t my self?  My ability to hold others’ pain and struggles; my encouragement and sincere interest in people to pursue their interests and passions so they can live their most authentic and best life.

Now take a stab at answering the question.  Get in touch with some of those great aspects of you and write it out loud. Take the first step and share here.