We had a holiday party at our place on December 30. Friends and family gathered for fun, food, music and to celebrate the holidays together and a delightful time was had by all. Because this was a pot luck affair, people brought some of their favorite foods and beverages to share. One creative friend brought a basket of fortune cookies, and I have been opening them randomly since the party.Well, with all the changes I’m working on in my life and work these days, I think it’s fair to say there have been a few hiccups along the way, and sometimes (like all of us) I have trouble keeping things in perspective, staying positive and motivated. I was having one of those days recently when I decided to open one of the fortune cookies my friend had brought to the party.
Now, most of the time the messages I get from fortune cookies are kind of laughable or even trite. And taken on its own, without considering my personal circumstances at the time I opened the fortune cookie, you might think the message I got was rather cliche, but for me, it was a potent and needed reminder.
Here’s what it said:
When I feel discouraged, it’s easy to start second-guessing myself and downplaying the importance of my work in the world. But if there’s one thing I do know, it’s that sitting on my dream and trying to push it down is a lot harder and more painful than the bumps and bruises on the way to sharing it with the world. Is any of this sounding familiar to you?
So here’s my commitment to myself and to you for 2017: I am going to be relentless this year in sharing my gifts with the world. I am going to follow all the little nudges I get and take action on the ones that feel the best and that are in alignment with my purpose. No more being shy or hiding my light. This may irritate some people. Some people may leave my circle because of it. (And some people already have.) That’s okay. Painful as it is, I’m learning to be okay with it, because, in the wisdom of the fortune cookie, “If I bring forth what is inside me, what I bring forth will save me.”
So I have a question for you. What can YOU bring forth this year that wants to save you? What does your soul long for? Has it been on the shelf for so long, you’ve forgotten what it is? Well, how about if you and I agree that we’re willing to take even a teeny tiny step every day toward releasing what’s inside us? I’ll be right here with you. And I can tell you from experience, the rewards far outweigh the risks. C’mon! What have you got to lose?