Every night before my daughter goes to bed, I tell her to remember that she is the brightest light in all of the universe and to never let anyone, including herself, dim that beautiful light that she has within herself.As I say it to her each night, it’s such a good reminder for me as well to not let anyone, including myself, dim my light. So many of us have been there when we have made ourselves smaller for someone else. Or where someone else or ourselves makes us feel badly for the way that we are feeling. And so we dim the light that we have within us to mold into what others want us to be, or how we expect we should act. We decide to become more reserved, say less, compromise our own identity and even lose ourselves along the way.This has happened to me in life, and it’s not what I want for my daughter, for you or for me ever again. I want us all to know that we shine bright as we are in this moment. I want us all to know that we were born with this bright light and that bright light includes all of our quirks and our flaws that make us who we are. But there will also always be people and situations who try to take away from our light. These people may not understand you, they may judge you for who you are or your decisions, they may minimize your feelings and make you feel like you aren’t seen or heard, or they may even feel threatened by your light and they try to shut you down to help themselves feel better. Whatever the case, these people exist.My hope for you is that you always remember that no matter what anyone else says or does, it doesn’t take away from the person that you are, the person you’ve built yourself up to be. You have always shined bright, even if it felt like you were a flickering light. It just takes some believing in yourself and your abilities, to see it for yourself too. People may try to dim your light, but always come back to the foundation of what makes you, you. And if something makes you happy or makes you feel good, keep on going and keep on shining. Because the world needs more of you as you are, with your unique bright light.And I hope you apply the same mindset to yourself. We can bring ourselves down more than others can, at times. I hope even in your darkest of days that you remember to give yourself even the smallest bit of kindness and that you can give yourself a hug and remind yourself that you are doing the best you can with the tools you have. I hope you can see your own bright light and decide to always find spaces to let it glow, rather than constantly dim it.So even though others, ourselves, and the world may try to dim our light. Don’t let them. Don’t read into the negative thoughts in your head telling you can’t. Keep on shining. Keep on showing up as the person you are. Despite all of your flaws, shortcomings, and mistakes. Despite if someone tells you that you are “too much” or “not enough”. You are just right. You are enough. You are light. As you are. Keep on shining as bright as can be. That’s how you come home to yourself. That’s how you realize you are stronger than you think.Xo,Be Beautifully Simply You
