For most of my life, I had chosen to hide or be invisible. I needed to please everyone, fade into the background and just exist. However, there was always something inside of me fighting, kicking and screaming against that but I kept rejecting it and forcing it down. Until the joyous day came for me to stop being hidden.
I’m not hiding anymore!
When I turned 40, that’s when I started listening to my inner voice. It’s filled with grand visions, dreams of changing the world for the better and finally having my say. “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” That quote is by Anais Nin. For the first time in my life, I couldn’t care less about pleasing people or of their perception of me. I began to care more about genuinely serving others and changing lives. It’s been the most liberating feeling and experience I have had in my life. It’s like being a kid alone in a candy store and tasting all the delicious treats that are there. Some of the sweets I had for the very first time. I’m blown away because I never knew they existed and how delicious they were. Or how horrible they tasted.
For the first time in my life,
I couldn’t care less about pleasing people
or of their perception of me.
The featured image of the blog post is one of the photos I took during my birthday photo shoot. There was a time in my life when I was not so comfortable in front of a camera. In fact, I never felt comfortable in my skin at all. I lacked self-love, confidence, value, and self-esteem. It took me almost a lifetime of personal-growth and personal-development to achieve those characteristics. An achievement, which makes me feel incredibly proud every day. It was challenging, but I persevered and because of much praying and hard work. I can now benefit from the time and hard work I’ve put in.
In this present time and space, I possess the characteristics I need to achieve my goals. I fully embrace the journey I’m currently on. This is a journey I can’t turn away from now even if I wanted to. Mary Anne Radmachert has a quote that expresses how I feel, “The jump is so frightening between where I am and where I want to be. Because of all I may become, I will close my eyes and leap.” I’m scared and excited both at the same time. However, I know the fear would quickly fade as I keep pushing past my limitations. As for the excitement, I feel like there’s no limit to what I can accomplish if I keep pushing when it’s uncomfortable. The discomfort makes it necessary for me to keep evolving and reinventing myself. I keep discovering and uncovering more of myself, and more of my abilities.
I’m scared and excited both at the same time, but I know the fear would quickly fade as I keep on pushing past my limitations.
I feel incredibly strong, but the best part is I haven’t even given my best yet. I’m still practising, and in the very near future, the whole world will hear me roar my best because the joyous day came for me to stop being hidden. Are you hiding? And if you are, “Isn’t it time for you to stop hiding?” Every person on planet earth has a purpose. So never believe anything other than that about yourself.