I love this quote from comedian Jim Carrey, which was part of a commencement address he gave last spring.
For many years, my greatest fear was to go “out there,” which meant anywhere that I might be seen as who I really am, subjecting myself to ridicule or criticism. I actively worked at being invisible.
If you’ve ever felt that way, it could be for a lot of reasons, such as fear of conflict, success or judgment. Maybe there’s a part of you that doesn’t match your family’s expectations of who you “should” be. Or maybe you think you don’t deserve the joy of being who you are when others around you are feeling stuck.
Whatever the reason, it’s always fear that makes us refract the light from ourselves, creating our own invisibility cloak. So here are four things you can do this week to risk being seen in all your glory:
1. Challenge yourself to speak up in a situation in which you’re typically quiet. If you feel yourself swallowing something you want to say, it’s the perfect opportunity to give voice to the idea or belief that wants to be recognized.
2. Ask someone for something you want, even if your ego mind says you don’t deserve it or it’s not possible.
3. Do something you love that no one would expect you to do—and then tell people about it.
4. Ask for your fear-based thoughts to be healed, something like this: “Please heal my fear-based thoughts so I can express myself in all my glory no matter where I go or who I’m with.”
Have a fear-less week!