Remember Who You Are

Years ago I had a corporate career, I was in my early 20’s, and I worked with a woman whom I greatly respected and wanted to be like… she was smart, successful, driven, fashionable, and beautiful. I hoped to be as successful as she was, carry myself the way she did and play in the “big leagues” liked she seemed to do effortlessly. What I came to respect most, even today, was her ability to be vulnerable and transparent in admitting she was perfectly imperfect. One time she flew into Chicago for a meeting and I asked how she was doing and she told me the truth (how about that?) She didn’t “FINE” me - “I’m fine”)… she was struggling and in a dark season of her life. She was digging deep and doing the work she needed to do to heal herself and get to her higher purpose and her higher self. I listened as she teared up and shared what she was going through and what she was doing for herself …therapy, boundaries, health things, etc. One thing she said her therapist suggested was to put up a picture of herself as a little girl. She didn’t explain why.

YEARS later, as I hit a personal bottom, I was struggling with self love and self acceptance… I flat out hated myself and felt worthless, not enough and not safe as a human being. I had a fleeting thought at that time that was something like “if you don’t love yourself, you can hardly love others” and that fleeting thought made me take action. It’s been years of being on this journey and that’s a LONG story for another day (do I mean LONG as in length or my name?), but ONE thing I did was find this picture of me as a little girl. I found a picture of myself before the age of 7, because that is when we lost our brother Brian and that’s when my “story” of “I am not safe” was created and shortly after that my story of “I am not enough” was created. These two stories were created by the perspective of a 7 year olds experience and I told the stories to myself (in my head) so many times that then they became core fundamental beliefs and were a foundation in my life… even though they have never served me and aren’t really true… they were my default until more recent years. I finally dug deep and did the work to heal myself.

ANYWAYS, I thought about what she told me, found this photo of little Lizzy and put it on my desk and it’s still on my desk to this day.

It’s a picture of little Lizzy who hadn’t told any negative stories about herself yet… who hadn’t formed a default position of lack and limitation yet… who hadn’t gotten into a serious relationship with fear yet.

I found a picture of Lizzy who is excited for life, her first day of kindergarten. A picture of Lizzy where you can see her little light shining, a Lizzy that isn’t afraid, isn’t feeling less than and can’t wait to see who she will meet and what her day will be like. It’s a picture of Lizzy that shows the essence of who I AM… a bright light, an innocent little girl illuminated and full of love and hope… abundance and possibilities… grace and peace.

I keep this picture on my desk and look at it every day because it brings me back to who I AM. When I look at it, I smile… I fall in love with that little innocent face and remember. When I lose my way, when I make a mistake, when I’m not being kind to myself, when I’m not feeling like enough, when fear creeps in, or when lack and limitation are running my thoughts… I look at this little face and remember
I AM light
I AM love
I AM safe
I AM loved and
I AM whole.
The Miracle? When I remember that’s who I AM, then I remember that’s who YOU ARE too.

I hope you find a picture of your little self… the one who loved you unconditionally, who saw your light, your inner beauty, your grace and knew your heart and all the love you carried in it and saw limitless possibilities and abundance. Find that girl and put her up in a place you can see her every day in case you need to remember who you are my friend… or call me, I will lend you my eyes so you can fall in love with yourself, as you are, right now.

XO

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