Be yourself....

...everyone else is already taken- Oscar Wilde We all find ourselves in situations where it's kind of hard to just be ourselves. We are afraid we're going to be judged, or that we're not good enough for a certain situation if we don't kick up our game a little. Thoughts creep in, ‘If I could just be more like that guy at work, that girl at the gym, the smart kid in class…’ We all lose confidence at times, especially when there is a lot going on in our lives. Men, women, and children alike are inundated with notions and suggestions of what we can and should be. If you are not sure – no problem – there are how-to’s on YouTube, advertising pics, and self-help programs. If that's not enough you can always log onto Facebook and check out picture perfect lives to keep up with! Selfie after selfie validates a need to show our best side. After all, who wants grumpy Greta, dismal Don, or boring Betty? Sally sunshine is not always popular either. There are many times when no one wants your sugarcoated renditions of a negative situation because they think it does not validate their negativity. It actually does just by listening. I know personally when I choose to perceive most things with peace, my expansion of abundant joy is not always met with the same. There is a difference between wanting to be more like someone else and losing you. You can take on the character traits that you admire in others, and still stay true to yourself and your own unique personality. Don’t strive for a ‘wanna be’ strive for an ‘I am.’ Our self-worth needs no validation from others – it is our light! It shines out and reflects back it's many diverse colors depending on what it is reflecting off of. Observe the different "surfaces" of your friends, family, and social situations. Some personalities have smooth surfaces and your light will reflect in the same direction. Others have rough surfaces and your light will scatter in different directions. The key here is to shine your light no matter what it will be reflecting off of. The more light you shine, the more you see it reflected! Just keep shining – eventually the brightest rays will reach even the darkest corners.

...always be the love that you are