Saint Catherine of Sienna was quoted as saying, “Be who God meant you to be and you can set the world on fire!” I am resharing this post from the beginning of 2014. It contains my thoughts on how to believe in yourself and allow Spirit to help you set the world on fire by sharing your gifts.
It’s Time to Start Believing in Yourself More
As the year draws to a close, I start musing about believing in myself more. I have a certain amount of self-confidence, but I think I have much more to give and would like to believe more in myself.
In the last few days of each year, I like to ponder what I want to do and be in the new year. It is such an obvious time to start over, to wipe away the challenges of the past year and to refocus thoughts and actions to create life as one wants it to be.
Today at the gym, I saw a TV piece on Oprah Winfrey receiving the Medal of Freedom from President Obama. My trainer and I commented on how much she has accomplished. I found myself saying to him, “It seems like Oprah has had a life where she has no barriers. There is nothing she can’t do!” I am sure that is not exactly true, but she does have the ability to create big things. I know she believes in herself big-time. And that is what we can all learn from Oprah.
What Do You Want to Create?
Soooo. What to create? There are some things I still want to do with the rest of my life to contribute to humanity. As Steve Jobs said, “We’re here to put a dent in the universe.” I want to help millions of people transform stage fright and fear of public speaking. Because the world will be better if more people contribute their ideas, insights and expertise… instead of holding back.
And when I think about it, there is nothing stopping me. I just need to believe in myself. That’s it, just believe. I can do that! Wow! Yes, I can do that! And so can you! What do you want to create in your lifetime? What is the dent in the Universe you wish to make?
How to Assess Your Value
So my message to you is to believe in yourself. You have gifts and talents and abilities that are valuable to others. Sometimes, however, your talents are invisible to you because they are things that you do so easily and effortlessly. It is hard to value what comes so easily, but what is easy for you may be hard for others. So your easy stuff is valuable to others. All you have to do is give what is easy for you!
What if you don’t know your value, what if you don’t know what your gifts and talents are? Then start asking to perceive it. Say prayers and do meditations where you ask to see your value to others. Let the answer come to you as your desires. Watch for what you desire. Your desire will lead you straight to your gifts and talents. Then, believe it. Just believe in yourself. OK, but, what does it mean to believe in yourself? Here is what I think you have to do to start believing in yourself:
- Step 1. Realize that you have something to give, to do, to be, that adds value to humanity, even if you don’t know what it is.
- Step 2. Accept that it might be possible for you to contribute something to make a difference. Just allow for the possibility.
- Step 3. Take some action by doing the first thing you can think of to move towards it.
- Step 4. Keep following the flow of action – what’s next, and next and next. Let life take you there without knowing how it will happen.
I heard a story about Eckhart Tolle, the author of The Power of Now. He was living life very poorly in Canada, teaching a few students about presence. One day he thought to himself, “I could be doing more.” So he decided to move from Canada to California. It just intuitively seemed the place to go. And soon he had a place to live and had written his first book which became a bestseller.
So, for 2014..and now 2022, I wish us all a year of delightful adventures in expression. Let it be a time of opening to be and express all we were meant to be. And believe in yourself – BE LIVE your dreams and desires. They are the whisperings from your Soul that lead you to be more of who you are.
