Shine As If Life Depends On It
Because it Does!
I started practicing my flute again after a very long time of not playing. I started with some sheet music that is now way over my head, music I had almost mastered when I was in high school.
One piece of music was composed by George Phillip Telemann, who was born in 1681 and died in 1767, 200 years before I was even born. Despite that, I’m playing (or trying to play) the music he wrote so long ago.
When you think of it, how the life he lived all those year ago is touching mine, it’s pretty incredible. And we are just like Telemann.
Sure, maybe we don’t write music or books, but we impact more people than we will ever realize. The simple act of showing up somewhere, behaving one way or another, touches others. How we show up in the world matters.
People are watching and taking cues from us on how to treat us and how to treat others. There is a trickle-down effect. This is true for our “good” actions and the “not so good” ones too. If hate and intolerance is what you put out into the world, people are impacted. They might take it as a sign that it is okay and follow suit, or they might see it as despicable and denounce it outright. Either way, your actions ripple and touch others.
The same holds for you if you lend a helping hand or show up in a way that encourages and inspires people. Witnesses to your acts of kindness might very well appreciate what you’ve done or how you’ve acted, yet never say a word. But this doesn’t mean your behavior wasn’t seen, appreciated, or impactful.
I recently designed a website for a new program I’m offering. I reached out to former clients for testimonials and they were happy to give them. When I read them I was blown away. They were sincere, but what I took away most was the true impact I had had on their lives, their development, and how they see the world.
As a life coach, I think what I do matters, but sometimes I’m not sure. So that exercise in getting feedback gave me a boost. It reinforces this idea that we will touch more lives than we will ever know. Recognizing this helps me to shine.
When you shine, you show up in ways that encourage and inspire. So it is vital to show up confidently, comfortable in whom you are. The ability to be vulnerable and to show up authentically helps not only you live a better life, it also helps those around you.
It is easier (at first) to hide our talents and gifts and attempt to blend in. But what I’ve experienced is that the older I get and the more in tune with myself I become, repressing my gifts becomes more difficult, trying not to shine hurts.
Who are you deep down? What are the talents you might not be sharing with the world for fear you might stand out and not fit in? Identify them. Hone them. Learn to love them. And share them with the world. Because as you show up in the world, inadvertently touching other’s lives, you want to make sure that you are influencing them in the best way possible. Authenticity, vulnerability, and not fearing being different is key to doing this.
Shine as if life depends on it because it does!
