Shine Your Light
What stops you from moving forward with your goal or dream?
Are you afraid of shining your light because of who will be left behind?
Are you hesitating because you fear what it will do to people around you? You think, “why rock the boat? Our relationship is going so well.”
You may have told your loved one about your dream, and the voice of their disapproval hinders you from contemplating the possibilities of bringing it to life.
The thing is that other people can’t get excited about it; it’s not their dream. It was placed in your heart for a reason; you are the only person that can bring it forward. They have goals that may need to be clarified for you too.
Does NOT Shining Your Light Lead to Disappointment?
They may want to cheer you on, but because they can’t feel the fire of your dream, they can’t see the whole picture. Since they love you, they want to protect you and don’t want to see you disappointed.
I believe the contrary is true, you will be disappointed if you don’t shine your light.
They may also be scared of losing you, so it’s difficult for them to see past their insecurity to be in your corner.
So, this may be the reason you are afraid of shining your light; you fear the growth you will become will make them uncomfortable.
Shining Your Light Keeps you Authentic
You think that your success may get in the way of your relationship. If that is the case, you are not staying true to yourself.
Staying true to who you are and who you are called to do gives you fulfillment. If you don’t live to your potential, you are cheating yourself and the world from experiencing your greatness.
Being afraid to shine our light is a common fear that keeps us from acting to birth our goals and dreams. We love the people around us and think that if we grow or move forward, we lose our friends or family.
On the contrary, you will inspire them to also move forward with what they want. Marianne Williamson has a great saying, “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, and we were born to manifest the glory of God within us.”
I remember a time when that was holding me back; I had a relationship that I felt would end if I played full out. I wanted the relationship to work out and thought I would leave the person behind if I shined my light.
Dr. Gay Hendricks calls it the fear of outshining others. It makes sense that since we are social creatures, we want to fit in and have the approval of others; especially when we have an emotional bond with them.
Shining Your Light Lights Others up
But the truth is that if we don’t shine our light, we are holding ourselves back and everyone around us. When we rise, we inspire others also to grow.
One of my church leaders thanked me this week because I inspired her to follow a dream she had had for a long time.
She said, “I have always wanted to pursue being a voice-over artist, and all this time, it has been a dream in my heart. I was afraid to move forward, but when I saw how you’d become an author, are a coach, and continue to follow what you are called to do; it gave me the courage to move forward.
I congratulated her. She took the first step and signed up for a class, and she is looking forward to where that takes her.
Baby Steps can Make You Shine
And that is precisely how it is done. One step at a time. My mentor and coach, Mary Morrissey, says, “Baby steps will take you all the way up Mount Everest.”
My coach, Kristin Welles, taught me a process of discovery that helps me move forward: to ask yourself if it would be okay to put your head on the pillow one last time without bringing birth to what you dream up.
I use this process, which helps me see the importance of making a move daily. We don’t know how much time we have, so staying focused on the result gives me more life. I feel motivated and fulfilled knowing I will not have regrets as I reflect on my life’s journey.
Life is about fulfillment, to realize your goals and dreams, and feeling fulfilled with your life. When you live fully, you will feel fully alive.
“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.”
~ Marianne Williamson
