It’s a little more than half way through January and even though it might be a tad late to add to your list of New Year’s resolutions, I’d like to offer one more: it’s time to drop the mask and be yourself. Does this sound like a scary request? It doesn’t have to be. It just takes a little bit of courage and a whole lot of getting real about who you are and who you are here to be. Most of all, it simply requires you to remember these three reasons as to why it’s so important to start being your true self now, instead of putting that off for “someday.”
There are no do-overs (at least that we remember)
The only thing any of us truly have is time, and even that can feel as though it’s being handed out in stingy little portions to us by someone else. But it’s not. We alone develop our own concept of time and are ultimately in charge of how we spend it. Someday the big clock of our lives is going to stop ticking and our hearts will stop ticking along with it. So before you go on spending another minute hiding behind a façade that dims your inner light, consider these words:
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.
Gandalf
Yes, it may sound cheesy to quote a wizard from The Fellowship of the Ring, but this is the bottom line; all you must do is decide what to do with the time given you. The is true because a) you never know when your time will be over and b) once your time is gone, it’s gone, and there’s no getting it back. Don’t waste another minute pretending to be someone you’re not. Start showing you’re true colors and living with all the joy and energy you can. You owe nothing less to yourself and to others.
You are here to share gifts that only belong to you
The sooner you start expressing yourself and why you’re so passionate about the things that are near and dear to you, the sooner you can start gifting the world with your greatness. I’ve written about giving your gifts freely here but it bears repeating, giving away your gifts for free, such as a kind word, a minute to listen to someone, or a helping hand, is not something that diminishes you, it sustains, connects, and strengthens you. It’s OK to focus on how to do what you love to make a living, but take time to remember how you can freely share too. It will reward you in more ways than one.
Look back with no regrets
Most people who look back over their lives with regrets lament the things they didn’t do. They didn’t try to start that business, they didn’t go on that trip to a foreign country, they didn’t do “something” and then wish they’d have done it. By dropping the mask and getting real about who you are and what you want, you are making a powerful statement that says you’re going for it; you’re not going to look back and say “what if,” you’re going to look back and say “I did it.” Notice I didn’t say “I tried it,” because regardless of whether you deem your attempt as “failing” or “succeeding,” the point is you made the decision to DO and BE something authentic.
If all we have to decide is what to do with the time given us, isn’t it time you started 2017 by taking off the masks you’re wearing? Start now and be brave (and gentle) with yourself as you go, because the world needs you, the real you, just as you are.
