My friend, shared this quote on her facebook page today. Clearly it had an impact on my spirit as I find myself now writing about it. This notion, or some variation of it,
(love her work!)
keeps coming into my purview - reaching an almost shouting decible. Perhaps, I ought to take note, and listen.
Which brings me to this message:
"Just be yourself. Let people see the real, imperfect, flawed, quirky, weird, beautiful and magical person that you are." Uh huh, yah. Easy peasy. Is it for you? That requires vulnerability.
I strongly believe our life is a testimony of who we are and that each of us comes to life with a promise, a gift, a passion and a deep heartfelt desire. This means that when we come to know our true selves and accept, understand and embrace who that is, with all our unique qualities, the doorway to infinite possibility opens.
I love the notion of "doorway to infinite possibility" because it represents all that is and all that can be when we walk through the door.
(photo by the gifted + talented Sharyn Sowell)
How do you answer Oprah's #SuperSoulSunday question, "What do you know for sure?" My first answer is, "I know who I am." I have always been keenly in touch with a well defined sense of self. Some people aren't comfortable with this kind of strength. Some mis-interpret it. Some are put off by it. Then again, some embrace it. It (a strong sense of self) is an attribute I strive daily to model for my teen age daughters - I can only hope I'm doing an OK job of it).
My challenge is showing and sharing all of my self (my "just be you" self) in a public manner. I am shy by nature, not a spot-light-seeker. Besides, you're busy, I'm busy, we're living our lives, caring for our children, our marriage, our home, working and volunteering.
The questions that arise for me are, "how do I?" and "what part do I share/edit?" and "How will I be perceived?"
I am, after all, like you . . .an ordinary girl with an extraordinary life.
[you may purchase this print here]
Let's be honest, my work is in the very public business of creating beauty, joy, pretty things (which I absolutely adore doing). . .but this is also often a business of perception. What I am not about . . .is creating perception. Simply can't do it, won't do it. Perhaps this is my achilles heel . . .
Being real is much more interesting to me. We all have a story, it's what we do with it that matters - the question then becomes, have we lived, are we living our story with integrity?
So how do you just be you? Are there doors to infinite possibility that you want to walk through? I believe there's one unique door way for each of us. I want to take a creative look at this and invite you to join me - invite a friend or two and discover how to . . .
All that's asked of you is to show up (with an open door to your heart).
. . . right here, where I will share pieces of my heart with you and we will creatively explore, examine and embrace what I know to "be you + bloom true." Will you join me?
[this print is available for purchase here]
“Real isn’t how you are made,’ said the Skin Horse. ‘It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.’
‘Does it hurt?’ asked the Rabbit.
‘Sometimes,’ said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. ‘When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.’
‘Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,’ he asked, ‘or bit by bit?’
‘It doesn’t happen all at once,’ said the Skin Horse. ‘You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.” ~The Velveteen Rabbit
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with love + peace + grace,
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