We’re writing our own story right now. Every day we’re making little decisions that over time write our story, shaping our destiny and those around us. Which got me thinking…am I writing the story I want others to read after I’ve left this physical world? Is it a story of how I turned pain into power? Doubt into determination? Am I doing enough in this story?
What’s the story you want others to read after you’ve left this physical world?
I may not know your story, but I do know you’ll be able to be, do, and give more in life with vibrant health. Get excited! After reading this post, you’ll stop doubting your greatness, revive your authentic self, and own the pen to your own story! Along the way, you’ll heal and heal others. Authenticity heals.
STOP DOUBTING YOUR GREATNESS
The first time I can remember doubting my greatness was in grade school. A boy bullying me chased me down on his bike. Running home, I crouched down onto the grass, and he ran over me with his bike. Why didn’t I just run inside? LOL. The next day, I didn’t want to go to school. My genius Mom pried out of me the problem and gave me the words that shut him right up! And they weren’t insulting. Go, Mom!
Most of us were born loving ourselves because others met our every need with love. Someone fed us when we were hungry, held us when we were sad, comforted us when we were scared. Until one day, someone squashed our great spirit. They said or did something that made us feel we’re not enough or lovable exactly as we are. Over time, these certain someones stack up. Sometimes the weight becomes so heavy we shrink into our little selves, deflated, and try to hide. We even try to numb the pain away, hello addictions!
Doubting our greatness is part of growing up – breaking out of our chrysalis and becoming the vibrant butterfly. It’s a process and ain’t easy. I keep shrinking my self-doubt through self-improvement books and personal development courses. If you haven’t read Jen Sincero’s ‘You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life,’ do it! She’s hilarious! In her words, it’s the self-help book for people who desperately want to improve their lives but don’t want to get busted doing it. At the end of each chapter, she reminds you to love yourself (See P.S.)
REVIVE YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF
“She said: “We all spend our twenties and thirties trying so hard to be perfect because we’re so worried about what people will think of us. Then we get into our forties and fifties, and we finally start to be free because we decide that we don’t give a damn what anyone thinks of us. But you won’t be completely free until you reach your sixties and seventies when you finally realize this liberating truth—nobody was ever thinking about you, anyhow.” – Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear.
When I read this passage, I laughed out loud. It’s pure genius and so true for me! Life gets messed up when we chase after what we think others want us to be. You can never be someone other than yourself and feel fulfilled. Authenticity heals. You heal yourself and others when you live with your heart wide-open, authentically sharing your beautiful bada** self with the world. Being authentic is just about being you – natural, relatable, and human. How hard can that be? Hard! LOL. We fear rejection – someone squashing our great spirit – making us feel we’re not enough or lovable exactly as we are.
Authenticity is essential for vibrant health and often the hardest thing to do because it requires vulnerability. Yep, that scary “v” word, where our heart is wide-open and vulnerable to attack! As Brené Brown says, “vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity.” In other words, opening your heart, being vulnerable is the path forward for vibrant health. It’s the way to connect deeper with yourself, with the Divine, and with others, so you can be, do and give your best self every day. Read How I Open My Heart, Instead of Slamming a Door for three ways to get back to your authentic, loving self again in under ten minutes.
OWN THE PEN TO YOUR OWN STORY
Are you willing to own the pen to your own story? Are you ready to stop doubting your greatness? Will you revive your authentic self? It’s work. You’ll get smacked down. But the key to rising again is to drop blame and change.
When life goes sideways, it’s easy to fall into the blame game. We blame events in our lives. We blame others. But mostly, we blame ourselves – which is pretty much like taking a punching bag to yourself daily. Not good. To own the pen to your own story, you have to drop the blame game and decide to change. You can change your life conditions (what you do or say), or you can change your perspective (the meaning you’re attaching to life events.) Often we need to change both!
I’m pretty much a pro at blaming myself. I learned through a self-development course that the question I ask daily as a mom, wife, pediatric physician, and wellness expert is this: Am I doing enough? This question begs me to never feel satisfied and always fall short cause there’s always more I could be doing. Through a workshop, I realized I need to tweak this question to feel good about myself. I need to change what I say to myself. Now, when I knee-jerk ask: Am I doing enough? I change the question and ask: How can I appreciate even more that I’m already enough in God’s eyes?…without doing another darn thing. BAM!
Can you see how that little decision to change over time will write a more empowering story, a more empowering destiny for myself and those around me?
As you write your story, may you stop doubting your greatness, revive your authentic self, and own your pen! You were born worthy and lovable, regardless of your appearance, ‘disabilities’, race, sex, or sexual orientation. You can live the story you want others to read after you’ve left this physical world. Just go be your authentic bada** self. If you do, whatever story you write will heal yourself and others. You’ll not only be, do, and give more in life with vibrant health, you’ll inspire others to do the same.
#WeAreInThisTogether for #HealthyChange
Rise stronger,
P.S. From Jen Sincero’s ‘You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life.’ What would happen if you remembered today to…
Love yourself.
Because it’s the Holy Grail of happiness.
Love yourself.
No matter what anyone else thinks.
Love yourself.
Like you’re the only you there is.
Love yourself.
No matter who you really are.
Love yourself.
Unless you have a better idea.
Love yourself.
And the bluebirds of happiness will be your permanent backup singers.
Love yourself.
And everybody benefits.
Love yourself.
Be grateful for all you are and all that you’re becoming.
Love yourself.
You deserve it.
Love yourself.
And life becomes a party.
Love yourself.
More than you love your drama.
Love yourself.
Right now, wherever you’re at.
Love yourself.
You’re doing an awesome job.
Love yourself.
And you will be invincible.
Love yourself.
Fiercely, loyally, unapologetically.
Love yourself.
While you’ve got the chance.
Love yourself.
You can do anything.
Love yourself.
And you will have it all.
Love yourself.
And the Motherlode shall bestow her magic upon you.
Love yourself.
With a kung fu grip.
Love yourself.
You are a badass.
About the Author: Dr. Sue
Sue McCreadie, MD (aka Dr. Sue), is a Pediatric Physician and Breakthrough Coach for Midlife Mamas. For over two decades, she’s helped thousands achieve vibrant health as a wellness expert. Bringing three daughters into this world, she lost four along the way, and crossed the pregnancy finish line a digestive–hormonal–emotional mess. But, over the following decade, she found a deeper meaning for miscarriages, reclaimed vibrant health, and grew emotional resiliency. Dr. Sue is obsessed with living her soulFULL purpose and helping other growth-minded Mamas do the same. She believes we are in this together to rise up, realize our dreams, and feel fulfilled in every facet of our lives.