Shine Your Light

We all are born with an inner light. It’s a gift of spirit… a magical glow of innate gifts and abilities that make up a large part of who we are, and who we will grow into being. You may have a way with words, the ability to make people laugh, a healing touch, or amazing skills in math or science. It can be anything!

What do you feel most passionately about? What are your natural gifts that set you above and apart from the rest?

This inner light is often is dimmed by the reality of being human in a human world. Have you lost touch with these gifts as you have made your choices in life, and worked through your challenges? Look inside for a moment to find out.

Step 1. In a quiet place and time, ask yourself: “Who am I, really?”
The true answer has very little to do with your education, your career, or your family and friends. Those are choices you have made that may have been illuminated by your inner light — but those choices may only be a surface reflection of who you truly are.

Allow your mind to wander back to the happiest moments of your life. Remember a time when you felt connected to everything, and believed there was nothing you couldn’t achieve. If you could have, you would have frozen that moment! Relive that moment with the understanding that you were in your true self. Cherish the glorious feeling: that certainty you had that everything would come together and work out just fine.

Step 2. Explore your authentic self.
When you are in your true self, you let go of boundaries and restrictions, preconceived judgments and limitations. This is where you can find and identify how brightly your inner light will shine. Explore this place, examining your passions, your strengths — and your gifts.

There’s nobody else in your head with you, so go into yourself as deeply as you can. There is no need for humility. This is the place and time where you can rediscover yourself, what you’ve buried or suppressed… and ponder how powerful you can be if you allow yourself to shine once more.

Step 3. Acknowledge your personal truths in a list.
Since you are in a space where anything is possible, don’t be afraid to pat yourself on the back. It’s not arrogant to privately acknowledge and revel in your personal truths. Make a list of your talents and passions, paying particular attention to those things that bring you joy, as well as those things that no one can do better than you can. Not everything you discover will seem important or practical, but write it down anyway. It is still a talent or gift — it just may be one you’ve been afraid to embrace, or have not yet figured out how to put to good use.

Step 4. Imagine living your gifts.
Now that you have acknowledged some of the potential and aspirations that you have been holding deep inside of you, imagine how different your life could be if you granted yourself permission to let your inner light shine through! When you honor yourself and live your gifts rather than hiding them, you alleviate a lot of dissatisfaction and stress. From simple joys to world-changing endeavors, you can align your daily life with what you were naturally gifted to do. Not only will your life be improved, but you may just become a beacon of hope or inspiration to those who come into contact with you.

Step 5. Embrace your gifts every day.
Sure, it’s a risk to open up and share what you have inside, but your greatest changes and accomplishments aren’t measured by what you’ve done — they are waiting to be formed by what you do. Sometimes you just have to say, “What the heck? What do I really have to lose by giving my authentic self a shot?” By lifting personal restrictions and following what you believe, life becomes a playground of experiences to have and to share.

The light we are born with is always within us; we just have to tap into it and let it glow. When you believe in yourself, others will as well.