I have a very public career and lifestyle brand where I share pretty much everything that happens in my life; the great, the not so great, and at times… the ugly. My glorious community knows my three children by name, the beautiful life I share with my love Big Mike, and the shenanigans of Oscar our mini pig and a our newest addition Hexe (pronounced Hex-ah) – a ten week old female German Shepard puppy. They’ve also been by my side through some trying and sad times like tragically losing our three dogs in less than one year’s time.
Most people looking from the outside – in might think that me sharing so openly and authentically is easy… but on the contrary, it’s not. Sharing at such an intimate level was a learned behavior… one I had to work at and continue to work on as my brand grows and evolves. In the beginning of my career I found it difficult to allow my private life to be known to anyone but mentoring clients with whom I had a one on one relationship.
A few short years ago when I decided to rebrand, come out of the broom closet, and go after my dreams of empowering spiritual women on how to magically create an abundant life they love, I was scared to death because I knew it would mean that I had to become more visible. I was super comfortable working from behind my computer but coming out into the world via video – that was a challenge!
Back in the day I was a child that didn’t fit in (can you imagine that?), so in order to survive my school years, I learned at a relatively young age to dim my light and fly under the radar. This was my go to behavior until I left 12th grade, so diming my light was ingrained into who I was BE-ing. Un-doing that behavior has proven to be an ongoing process. The more visible my brand becomes, the more it triggers me, and the more vulnerable and I feel. Can you feel my pain?
Here’s the simple truth, in order to serve at the level I do, I had to heal and get very comfortable with the idea of being seen. I had to come out from behind the safety of my computer and be visible. I had to open myself up to potential criticism or judgment. I had to lean on my faith, make quick decisions and not second-guess myself. I had to let go of my perfectionism (beyond challenging for this Virgo). I had to remove my armor, put down my shield and be vulnerable. I had to let it all go and just trust that it would be okay and that my community – my peeps, would find me and welcome me showing up shining my light of authenticity.
To say that took courage is an understatement, it took serious vagina.
What I learned during the process of taking those courageous steps and walking though my personal fire of vulnerability is that I give other women like you the permission to do the same – to show up in authentically. I hold up a mirror for your blooming, emerging and becoming – not a mirror of projections and fears but a mirror of integrity, courage and authenticity. I’m comfortable with you because I’m at peace and comfortable with who I am. I can allow you to see my truth because I’m deeply aware of my flaws, shadows, limits, and capacities. I see all of my beauty and all of the warts… and I love both of them equally for they both serve my life in miraculous ways.
So I’m visible for you. I show up in my truth to support you to show up in your truth. We are all part of a miraculous, magical web of Sisterhood.
So my lovely, I invite you to be seen… really seen. What would that look like? Who would you be if you weren’t shrinking, apologizing or dimming your light? What clothing would you wear? How would you style your hair? Would you start a new career or birth your soul work?
What gifts could you share with the world if you stepped out from the shadow and claimed your light – out loud and proud – with courage?
I invite you to trust the process of surrendering and allowing and go for it. I promise you that once you get beyond the discomfort, the fear, the hesitation, and the decades of experiences that might tell you otherwise, being seen in your truth heals. It heals the world and it heals your soul.
Thank you for seeing me in my truth and thank you for letting me see you in your truth. That’s magic for both of us. Wishing you a blessed end of summer and early fall filled with bounty and abundance. And so it is.
