Shine Your Light!
In her book, “The Gifts of Imperfection,” Brené Brown offers this definition of authenticity: “Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.”
To be authentic, we must drop the masks we wear that keep us safe and hidden and dare to be ourselves. Oscar Wilde observed, “Be yourself – everyone else is taken.” You have been endowed with extraordinary gifts and talents only you can deliver. You are a uniquely brilliant child of the Divine, and the world awaits your radiant self.
We didn’t come here to hide our light under a bushel basket. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says: “Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house.”
What blocks us from shining our light unto the world brilliantly? It’s this little thing that’s universal to the human experience called shame. Shame is the uncomfortable sensation we feel in the pit of our stomach when it seems we have no safe haven from the judging gaze of others. We feel small and bad about ourselves and wish we could vanish. Shame fosters fear, negative self-talk, and pressure to be perfect. It causes us to feel unworthy in many ways.
When we feel it, we become overly critical of ourselves and our actions, focusing on mistakes or flaws, and we become convinced that we are not good enough. I remember the first sermon I delivered when I became a minister. I was overflowing with joy about providing an inspiring message to a group of people. It was a holy and sacred experience, an honor to be trusted this way. I delivered an engaging, powerful message that inspired and uplifted folks and even received a standing ovation.
While delivering my message, my eyes fixed on one person in the room with their arms crossed and a frown on their face. I recall wondering if my words were making sense. Nevertheless, I persisted in delivering a powerful message. My eyes kept returning to that one person. After my talk, several individuals approached me, thanking me for such a great message and declaring that I was speaking directly to them. I was moved and inspired, but that was short-lived. I kept going back to that one person. I began to question myself and what I was doing. Was this ministry gig for me to do, or was I just a phony, trying to be something I was not?
Eventually, that person contacted me to share how inspired they were by my message. I realized that shame had prevented me from reveling in the glory of that day.
Eleanor Roosevelt observed, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Similarly, no one can make you feel shame without your consent. Recognize it when it arises and release it back into the nothingness from whence it came. Shine your light! You are magnificent!
And so it is.
