Did you ever have something inside of you that you were bursting to say? Only to be told not to be so loud, or so boastful, or so full of yourself?
When I was a young girl singing in the school choir, a teacher told me to just mouth the words, not to sing them out. Or at least that was what I remembered. Maybe she told me to sing softly. But the result was I interpreted this to mean I had an awful singing voice.
Except for singing to my babies, I didn’t sing again until I was almost forty. At that time I was encouraged to join a choir and discovered with some practice I actually had a lovely voice, and more importantly, I loved to sing. I even went on to have a couple of guest spots in a rock band!
Were you someone who was naturally boisterous, but felt stifled? That was certainly me, and the more I tell this story I realize I wasn’t the only one. I’ve long forgotten that teacher, but never forgotten how she made me feel.
That could have been the end of the story, but it’s not. I realized that it was my choice to let it continue to influence my behaviour. Or I could choose to follow my heart. I decided life is short and there is no time like the present to try things I always wanted to do but thought I wasn’t good enough to do.
I call this choosing you. Choose to express the person you always knew you were or always wished you could be.
I choose you looks like:
Taking quiet moments to listen to what makes your heart sing.
Doing less of the ‘Shoulds’.
Taking risks, putting yourself out there because it feels exciting and right for you.
Telling people you love them.
Choosing what brings you joy and sparkle.
What else would you add to this list?
For me, choosing me relates to a memory I have of me as a three year old, arms wide open, being loud and boisterous. I’m choosing to live my heart centered life from a place of that exuberant young girl I’ve always been. I’m speaking up, sharing my story of self care and creativity through my keynote speaking, books and workshops and doing what makes my heart sing.
The funny thing about choosing you is when you choose to do what makes your heart sing it has a ripple effect. My experience has been that as I choose me and listen to my heart, my family and friends are taking steps to do the same for themselves.
