don't look away*

Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.

There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking

so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

I've been looking away from myself, trying to be that person everybody wants me to be.

I've been trying to be everyone's friend and a good business woman in the same breath.

I've tried to be objective despite my own opinion, not listening to my gut feeling.

I've been harsh and patient.

I've been open and quiet.

I've listened, guided, became overly excited to show them the road, forgetting that it is not for me to show.

I've stepped back.

I've stepped forward.

I've stopped.

Big things happened in between all of these, but still I did not stop to listen.

On Monday morning someone took a big bite out of me.

('the only taste of success some people get is to take a bite out of you - Zig Ziglar)

And another. I was dumbstruck. I stepped back, (again), listened, made eye contact all the way through, came home and cried. I comforted myself within the self-pity (so shy to admit!).

Then, through the anger I became empowered.

Empowered to not look away, but to look deep within.

Empowered to not get angry, but to ask myself what is the lesson to learn.

Empowered to stand.

To be proud of who I am.

To open my heart

and my arms to the world.

To invite It in,

to call out and remind them

that I'm here for the taking.

Every inch of me.

This morning i decided to shine again.

To keep shining

and live life fully engaged!

* thank you to Christine for her very appropriate and wise words.

* thank you Maithri for always inspiring me and remind me that I am flying.

* thank you PixieDust for wishing for me.

* thank you Kateri for enlightening me with 'm a g i c a l' stories xx