Sparkle Needs to Come Naturally

I was bored one evening and started researching quotes from women authors about the process of writing. I had five different black pens in front of me. I thought about adding color then realized that writing is usually done in black and white, so I stuck to that idea – black and white only, limited pens, same page, same size. I ended up putting them all into a loose leaf sketch book. As of right now I have fifty-four quotes in the book with more coming. I am not sure exactly what I am going to do with the book, maybe that is part of the writing process…not knowing exactly where the story is going until it’s done being written.

I enjoyed reading these words from Virginia Woolf. She hit the nail right on the head. In a world that is obsessed with videos, postings, glitter and gold, big reveals, snazzy decorating tips, bigger and more gadget oriented lives, I think we need to be reminded that there is no need to sparkle. Sparkle needs to come naturally…however it is we sparkle, THAT is more than enough to live our lives.

Being comfortable with yourself – who you are and who you are not – THAT is the sparkle we bring to each person we encounter. So many of us spend WAAAAY too much time trying to be “A” or “M” or even “Q”, which means in trying to be something we forget to take a personal inventory and value the actual person we are today. “No Need to be anyone but yourself.” When we truly understand – I mean truly, deep down in our soul – understand who we are everything changes for the better. Suddenly the pressures, the expectations of others, the comparisons and inaccurate checklists all fade away. Time is now our friend as we no longer have to spend it trying to fit the mold – we are who we are and time can only enhance or refine us. Whew! Amazing things happen when we embrace ourselves just the way we are.

No need to sparkle – unless you like sparkles. No need to do what it takes to gain people’s approval; we only need our own approval to live well and love deeply. The seeking, the searching, the trying to measure up, even the feeling that we need to sparkle all the time is exhausting. And the measure of sparkle is always changing…what’s up with that?

No need to be anyone but yourself. Let that sink in…and dare to believe it and act that way today and each day moving forward.