Who are you in the hidden corners of your heart? What are the secrets that no one knows about, tucked away in the dark?
Do you hope for more happiness or wish for less pain? Do you dream of perfect health, maybe you hold onto memories from your 20’s.
Is there something you haven’t been brave enough to step out and do but the glimmer of hope still flickers in your heart?
The reality is during any given day you are the caregiver, the doctor, the chef and the housecleaner. You may work outside of the home, after which you come back and pick up where you left off. Some of you spend your day in the home, being a teacher, acting as chauffeur, or a cheerleader, and the lady at the laundry mat.
You are a mother. In whatever capacity you found your way to motherhood-you are there, or you‘ve made it to the empty nest. Either way, you will forever be a Mom. But when it comes to you as an individual, how do you identify who you are?
You may find yourself by looking back on where you have come from. What kind of student you were, if you went to secondary school, who you were in your career. Maybe by the sports, the band, the drama club, cheerleading squad or the choir you were involved in.
Perhaps it is in where you find joy. The kind of person you are when you are on vacation, how music lifts you up or calms your heart. The person you see in your mind’s eye when you dive into a great book. How you dance your way around the kitchen when no one is looking. Is it in the satisfaction of a clean house, a delicious dinner or that unheard of perfectly baked loaf of gluten free bread from scratch?
It might be the way others perceive you. Maybe who you see yourself to be depends greatly on what others think about you. You could be the fun friend, the loyal lady, the creative thinker, or the Pinterest queen. You may invest yourself in serving those around you, by being the greatest hostess, or providing a safe haven to those in need.
Is it the success of your family that you find your identity in? If your children are confident and excelling does it bring you a sense of pride? Do you see yourself represented in a nicely presented yard, car and home? Have you have managed to rise above an unstable upbringing and develop into someone stronger, if so do you hold your head high?
Who you are as a person, could be comprised of some, or all of these things. But the truth is who you are depends greatly on what you carry in the recesses of your heart. Those feelings, desires, memories and dreams are what drive you to make the choices you do.
Every day we are faced with something from the hidden, do you acknowledge it or tuck it back away? Do your choices come from squelching who you are? Do you see what’s hidden and choose to allow part of it flourish in your decisions? Honoring what is being carried within you will allow you to grow and breathe. There is a difference between being selfish, and living in your own truth.
Give yourself time to reflect on what you carry with you. Whether it’s a few minutes, hours, or an evening during the week, take the time. Find a way to listen to music, take a bath, or dance. Read part of the book that sits on your night table, try baking that recipe you have set aside, or sing loudly on the car. Take a jog; sip a steaming cup coffee, paint your nails. Maybe you want to go back to school, or you have felt it’s time to stretch your wings and apply for a new job. It is probably time to start to do it.
There are so many ways to feed your soul, but you have to start by first looking inside at what your heart longs for. And then give yourself permission to take the next step and honor it.