“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?”
Wonderful words from Marianne Williamson above and I want to ask you –
Where are you shining your light today?
We are brought up to believe that it’s rude to talk about ourselves, it’s arrogant to share our achievements and successes, and if we do, we will make others feel jealous or insecure and they won’t like us or want to be around us. So we play small, we become our own best-kept secret, and that deep well of potential we all possess is only faintly rippled.
My life’s work is in unlocking the hidden potential in individuals and teams and it’s a sheer joy to see people step into their true power and shine as they were born to do. Opportunities start to line up for them and serendipity is everywhere.
I believe that we are all born with an innate charisma. A ‘presence’ that is totally unique to us.
I liken it to a bright shining light that is magnificent in all its glory when we are babies and then often pales into insignificance as adults. So why is that?
If you think about a baby’s world – born to a loving family, they are eagerly anticipated, they are surrounded by positivity and love. Their every need is met as soon as they cry. They don’t know any negativity and they think they are the centre of the Universe. Their light is shining brightly for all to see.
Fast forward several months and perhaps parents are back to work, or they’re instilling a strict feeding and sleeping regime, and that baby’s needs are not always met on demand. They can feel hungry or frightened or lonely and suddenly the doubts start to creep in, they begin to feel they are not the most important person on the planet after all and it’s like putting a film over that light and it shines a little less brightly.
We are bombarded with an average of 250,000 negative messages about ourselves as we grow up, and these are from the key people of influence in our lives – parents, teachers, siblings, friends, Is it any wonder that we often get to adulthood not knowing what we are good at, or even if we are good at anything at all. We often choose a career pathway that we have been advised to follow for financial security and we end up spending years doing work that we are not inspired by or particularly good at -we may learn to do a ‘good job’, but we are out of ‘flow’.
Being out of flow is like swimming against the tide, like trying to push water uphill – it’s the ‘hard work’ that we were taught as the only way to succeed in life, so we accept it as the norm. We feel tired and drained at the end of the working week and often feel trapped – our light is now covered with so many layers of limiting self-beliefs that it is barely visible if at all.
Yet there is so much joy to be had when we dive into that infinite well of potential we all possess.
When you are in ‘flow’, doing the work you love and are naturally talented in, the work that comes easily and naturally, you positively ‘glow’. Your inner ‘light’ shines brilliantly. You exude a magnetic energy which is totally irresistible and people are drawn to you even thought they may not know why. When they have had an interaction with you they feel inspired, energized and uplifted.
So how can we develop that innate presence and start peeling off some of the layers of negativity that dim our inner light?
Recognise and celebrate your uniqueness. Appreciate the specific value you have to offer and let it shine wherever you are. This may sound very idealistic, however there are so many ways to realise and step into your inner power and much of it has to do with feeling confident about who you are and what you have to offer.
Here are some top tips that can be implemented right now.
- Take an online profile test, there are many good ones out there and the one that changed my life beyond all recognition, and got me totally focusing on playing to my natural strengths is Talent Dynamics -for more info – https://sylviabaldock.com/talent-dynamics-profiles/
- Work with a coach/mentor who can help you unpack and explore your natural talents and keep you accountable to keep unlocking more of your true potential.
- Continually invest in your greatest asset which is ‘YOU”! Attend workshops, conferences and seminars, which will stretch your thinking and expand your knowledge and then share that knowledge with your colleagues, clients, prospects.
- Become and ‘expert’ in your field. Read, listen to webinars, watch YouTube videos, learn as much as you can and deepen your knowledge in your specialist subject – you will continually add value to those you meet and work with and become their ‘Trusted’ go-to person.
- Prepare well for every interaction whether it’s a client or prospect meeting or a networking event. Have a plan of action, a clear message, a well thought out answer to that often asked question -‘what do you do?’ and make it benefit-laden
- Spend your time with people who will support you and celebrate your successes. People who are not threatened by your growth and who are also pushing themselves to greater heights. They will inspire and motivate you and celebrate your ongoing progress.
- Be the best version of you wherever you are –
Take care of your health and wellbeing
Wear the right colours for your skin tone -it will make you look energized and more approachable
Get there early so you are calm and ready to interact with people
Be totally ‘present’ wherever you are. Give the gift of undiluted listening and ‘Seek first to understand and then to be understood’ Steven Covey
Applying these top tips will ensure you are always presenting the best version of you. People will value your input and your company and in turn that will build your confidence and self-esteem,
Some of those layers that have built up on your inner light over the years will magically evaporate and you will shine brighter and bolder wherever you are.
People will feel drawn to you and will remember you long after the event.
A few more wise words form the fabulous Marianne Williamson –
“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. 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, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles”
‘Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house’