Look deep into the palm of your hand. Have you ever considered the fact that the print of your hand is so unique it is used to identify you for certain government documents? In the world that we are living in today the uniqueness of an individual is becoming less and less important as more people strive to be like the current props of celebrities in western culture. The value of our unique being as a human is slowing giving way to the growing technology, reality stars and celebrity culture. Everybody wants to be like someone else. I like to look at make up tutorials online and I am seeing a trend that make-up is not used as much to enhance one’s own unique features as much as it is now transforming you into someone else. Everyone has the same brows, highlights and lips. It made me really begin to think about this thing we know as authenticity.
Perhaps a part of this merging into sameness has something to do with vulnerability. It is much easier to try to blend in with the crowd than to stand out from the crowd if you are not comfortable with aspects of your own vulnerability. I think a great read on allowing yourself to lean into this aspect of yourself is a book from Brene’ Brown called; ‘The Power of Vulnerability.” In it she explores shame and vulnerability and our ability to see ourselves in this position. One of my favorite quotes by her is:
“Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.” – Brene` Brown
It does take courage to go against the grain of what we have been programed to think feel or believe to live into who we truly are from the core. There is only one you on the planet. In my belief system I believe that each soul is here to learn various lessons on this planet as well as share the very authentic gifts that each one of us possess. However, more and more now people are looking outside of themselves for validation of self rather than exploring the various aspects of their own unique talents, gifts and abilities. The value of who we are is becoming diminished as we seek to “Keep up with the Kardashians” be one the “Housewives of Atlanta” and so on.
If celebrity culture isn’t the influence then people define themselves by the work they do rather than the person they are. I remember asking a man who are you? I was looking for answers as to who is this person I was talking to. Instead I got a list of things he did like the fact that he was a lawyer and worked as X law firm and had X degree. I then said; “if I took all of your titles and education away, who are you?” He was silent. We are far more comfortable in our doing than in our being.
How often do you sit still and center yourself to ask yourself, “What is the unique quality of my essence that only I can share with the world.
“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to reform (or pause and reflect).” ― Mark Twain
When you begin to tap into the power of you it opens doors only you can walk through. You begin to realize there is no need to envy others because the world doesn’t seem so limited. You begin to understand that you live in abundance because what is for you is for you. When your cup is filled with your own essence of love, life, talents, gifts and abilities you want to share rather that take from others. Imagine a life where each of us truly understood the power we possess within our own being. Imagine knowing that you are special just because you exist on the planet and NOBODY is like you. There would be no need to grasp for what other have, envy others and try to morph into someone else. You would know that you are filled to capacity with abundance and that overflow would be your contribution of greatness to be added to the planet. Imagine knowing that the overflow you have is the legacy you were designed to leave the planet as a gift before you transition into the next dimension of life. I believe knowing that could pull people out of darkness and catch people from the brink of suicide.
It took me a while to understand this about myself. I would wonder why people would come around me and somehow leave happier as if they got something from me. Sometimes this would happen and I would be left drained and didn’t understand why. Over time I begin to understand the gift of my authenticity and began to fill my own cup first. When we don’t understand the gift of our uniqueness we leave ourselves vulnerable to the people who do and those very gifts within us can get misused and abused because we truly don’t know whom we are and what we have. I had to learn this the hard way. I have a deeper understanding now that my essence, my soul, and my authentic self is the biggest gift I can give to the world. By understanding this now, I am far less likely to allow myself to be mis-managed through ignorance. I am the gift. Who I am is the gift. And so are you. Take the time to explore who you are. Be willing to be different. Be willing to stand out from the crowd. Allow yourself the time to get to know who you truly are, then shine your light brightly into the world. This world is waiting on you to be…YOU!
