Identity

Like stars across the sky. We were born to shine – Andrea Bocelli

In this week’s episode, we unpack identity and returning to the core of who we are and not just what we do.

Hello and welcome to another episode. How are you? as you do, I was doing my morning dishes listening to Andre Bocelli, and I caught the lyrics of a song playing, and it went:

Don’t be afraid of the light

That you feel upon your face

It is really meant for you

Like stars across the sky

We were born to shine

Song: Because We Believe

Just the thought that we are born to shine. Let that sink in for just a moment. You were born to shine, yes you.

What do you think of when you hear the word identity? Is it what you do? Is it a role that you are fulfilling? Mum, dad, husband, wife, sister, brother, employee, son, daughter, friend and the list goes on and while all of the above are important, however, who are we at our very core? What if we were to strip it all back beyond the expectations and labels. What if we were left with loveable, worthy, wonderful, phenomenal, unique, based on who we are rather than what we do.

I wonder what would happen if we lived life from that place. How would we turn up, how would we behave, how would we fulfil our roles and responsibilities? What are we building the foundation of our identity on? Is it the opinions of others and our life experience?

What if the truth is we are loveable, worthy, wonderful, phenomenal, unique however it is up to us to believe it, and regardless it doesn’t change the fact that it is who we are? Caroline Leaf, a neuroscientist quotes, “Our brains are made for love. Not fear. Not performance. Not aggression. But LOVE.”

Perhaps the first step is understanding that changing our way of thinking is a process. There is no magic pill or short cuts and being aware of our thinking patterns allows us to acknowledge the thought and then replace it with thoughts that align with who we are and where we are going. All I can say is practice, practice and practice. Oh, and of course, celebrate your progress along the way.

So, I want to leave you with these thoughts. Think about what it’s taking for your body to function at this moment, all the details that we can and can’t see. We blink between 900 – 1,200 times an hour, our heartbeats about 4,800 times per hour and the vast system of blood vessels – arteries, veins, and capillaries are long enough to go around the world more than twice. Does that sound wonderful to you? How about your uniqueness, your expressions, your laugh, your special way of doing things? You are one of a kind. Even identical twins don’t have the same fingerprint. What good comes from not believing you are loveable, worthy, wonderful, phenomenal and unique? Until next week take care.