Have you ever noticed how much harder it is to be awesome when you’re trying to be someone else?
My friends and I have been talking about fear and weakness lately. About what happens when we focus on our weaknesses, when we think about all the ways we don’t measure up to others, when we compare highlight reels.
What happens is we start missing out. We miss out on our God-given strengths. We miss out on what we were made to do. We miss out on life.
The shadows feed our fears until we stop putting ourselves out there at all. We convince ourselves that we aren’t good enough. We aren’t smart enough. We aren’t well-known enough. We aren’t pretty enough. We aren’t enough.
But we are. There is something special inside each one of us. Something that will make the world a better place. If only we would believe it’s in there.
So what is this special thing? Are you sure I have it? Cause I don’t really think I do.
You do.
What are you good at? What makes you come alive? What makes your heart race and your eyes dance? That’s it! Do that! Do much much more of that!
If you’re not sure what you’re good at, find someone who can speak life-giving truth to you. There are people in your life who know what your greatest gift is. They can see that which makes you sparkle, even when you can’t.
Then speak truth back into someone else.
I had two friends tell me something about myself within a week of each other. These two friends who live in different towns and don’t know each other revealed something about my soul that I didn’t even realize was there.
This truth is now a lighthouse for me when I find myself drifting around the waters of my weaknesses, comparing myself to others. I come back and remember, “Oh yeah, this is who I was made to be. This is how I can change the world.”
So here are your challenges:
- Stop focusing on what you aren’t, and start focusing on what you are.
- Find what makes you come alive and do it.
- Find someone you trust help you find your sparkle.
- Point out something beautiful in someone else.
Be you. Be awesome.
(Originally posted in September, 2013)
I agree 1000%. The reality will always surface so might as well be “real”!
http://www.jaimelovesstuff.com
Real > fake for sure!
Absolutely!
What if you’re afraid that you don’t sparkle with anything? Is everyone meant to shine at one thing and embrace it with a passion? Or can we just be pretty good at several things?
Great question Michelle. I think we can be pretty good at several things, but there is something about us that is spectacular and unique. I’m sure you have it, you just need help in finding it. Do you have someone close you trust enough to ask?
“The shadows feed our fears until we stop putting ourselves out there at all. We convince ourselves that we aren’t good enough. We aren’t smart enough. We aren’t well-known enough. We aren’t pretty enough. We aren’t enough.”
You just described my entire youth. Great post.
Oh gosh, mine too. Thanks, Dude.
It’s so funny…whenever I have a discussion about something deep like this with someone I see you tweet you wrote a post! It’s like you know what the world needs.
ohmmmmmm…. 😉
This is so true, especially the part about comparing your life to someone else’s highlight reels. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks Amy, it’s something I think we all struggle with!
What a great post. That’s very hard for me to think anything positive about myself. I still wonder what I want to be when I “grow up”. And I’m 33.
I think we are all still “growing up” just in different stages. Do you have anyone you could ask? I bet there is someone who would rave about your sparkle…it will probably surprise you.
What a terrific reminder. God has His perfect design and plan for each of us.
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HI Alysa, that is inspiring! =)
I guess we are all too busy looking at what others have and forget to look into the person in the mirror and focus on what we have.
Thanks for this beautiful post!
I love this post. It is something I needed right now! Thank you:)