Doing "Me"
"This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man." William Shakespeare
I'm trying really hard to do me—the real me—the man God made me to be. Not the fake version I make up from time to time for myriad reasons. This blog is mostly about that. Yes, I've been sharing a "system" and some productivity tools. But none of that matters if I'm not, at first, fully authentic. If I skip being me, then all of that organizing is worthless. I have no time for games; regardless of who approves.
This goes right to heart of the writing process. Writing about my life in a blog is an uncomfortable, public process. You've heard me say this before: There's always the voice of The Resistance (ask Steven Pressfield about this) telling me why no one will read my musings, and, if they did, why it changes nothing. It's like trying to do a Broadway play about Alexander Hamilton, where the singers rap the lyrics.
That can't be done; right?
Yet, someone went out and did it, and people lined up, for years in advance, to spend big bucks to see it. This will continue. Creators will find new ways to express themselves because creativity is free and unlimited. When I think of being "made in the image of God," I think about God's moral attributes. But I also revel in God's creativity.
Take a look at the known universe in its infinite expanse and variety. It's mind-numbing, but it's a worthy exercise to sit and meditate on it from time to time—to contemplate the majesty of a flower or a still body of water, for example.
Certainly, the opposite of this observation will also persist. People will still busy themselves with chores, dates, schedules, and minutiae. They will push past you as you contemplate your flower. They will disapprove of your lyrics. They will question your motives. I'm here to encourage you to do you, just as I'm fighting to do me.
Embrace Yourself
My wife is a prayer warrior. She constantly prays for her family members, friends, acquaintances and strangers. I asked her this past week, what does she pray for herself? The question gave her pause. The truth is that out of concern for others, she hadn't really prayed much over herself. This is noble. It's actually magnanimous and magnificent.
But the upshot of this tendency to focus on others is the downplaying of gifts and talents of her own. In short, I felt that she was denying a part of herself that God gave her. Other people wasn't a good enough reason to keep it bottled up.
I can't think of a good reason to put a lid on the real me. I keep doing it anyway. It's probably some part fear, some part pride, some part laziness—you get the drift—nothing honorable. The only honest response to this is to cast the lid aside.
I once wrote a digital book called, "How To Know God's Vision For Your Life." You may download a free copy from this site. The book sets forth a four-part process for deciphering God's will for your life. The first part is seeing the vision. Part two is believing it. Part three is embracing the vision and part four is living it out.
Here's the rub. It's easier to embrace stuff like visions and dreams than it is to embrace yourself—your odd, mysterious, glamorous, quirky, intuitive, ... Authentic—self. It's risky because people won't like it, nor will they approve. The ego is fragile and rejection hurts.
Here's what will hurt worse: A life spent in hiding.
I have no statistics to share this week-just one big truth. "Be true to yourself. Everyone else is taken."
Oscar Wilde
Thanks for reading my post. I'm an attorney and Christian minister. I'm also a #keynote #speaker and an author. I write about business, life and faith, focusing on how to know God's vision for your life so that you may fulfill your purpose. You may connect further with me here or by clicking below!
PS! If you'd like to pursue the question of God's vision for your life, please join us in our God's Vision Mentoring Circle.
In that Mentoring Circle, Sharon and I will lead a 5-week online discussion about how you can explore, identify, and then fulfill God's vision for your life.
It is bound to be an eye-opening journey of personal exploration and satisfaction.
See you in the Circle!
PSS! Please consider purchasing my new e-Book, "God Help Me I'm Stressed." Learn how to access the power of God to overcome stress and anxiety!
Wayne and Sharon
Gill Family Ministries is a 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to the sharing of God's love. Please consider a generous tax-deductible donation. Please see the "Donate" button at the top of the page.
