This is what I know:

That you were born with unique gifts that the world needs at this time, that you have a place and purpose here, that you were in fact called forth in this time and this place, in this body, with these gifts and challenges, because we need you. You have a unique role to play, and no one else can fill it. You being you and sharing your gifts is extremely important for the well-being of the whole planet.

That you were almost certainly raised to be someone other than who you really are—either by your parents, your schooling, your society, your culture and/or the traumas that happened to you. You’ve inherited lies and confusion about who you are that stop you from being who you really are, from giving your gifts, and living as the love, freedom and joy that you are. That underneath those lies are glittering truths that will set you free and empower you to shine.

That the challenges you’ve endured in this life are intimately connected to your unique gifts and have a important role in the unfolding story of you. As you uncover the treasures hidden within those challenges, remarkable blossoming can occur and you can be a huge force for good.

That our creativity and our beautiful imaginations are extraordinary gifts that can help us to lead lives of beauty, fun, meaning and well-being. That when you are swept up in the flow of creating, you are doing something profoundly good for yourself and for others, whether or not anyone ever sees the products of your creative activity. That it is vitally important to make time for this.

That to make time and space for creativity and for doing those things that bring us the most joy is a radical act that can change our world. We have within us the power to co-create a world that honors all of life, celebrating beauty and love. We are powerful beings when, instead of being driven by our small ego desires, we listen and cooperate with Life.

That in your heart are bold dreams for what you long to be, do and have—that are separate from (though they may be entangled with) the crazy mirage of achievement and acquisition that our culture foists on us. Some of these dreams you have given up on or routinely shove down because you have decided they are impossible, impractical, unrealistic or just too darn scary, or you don’t want to be disappointed or hurt one more time. And you keep thinking you don’t have the time or the money to pursue them.

That our contemporary culture often leaves us feeling empty, dissatisfied, confused, scared, and disconnected from ourselves. That many of the most brilliant, gifted, beautiful, sensitive, caring people are leading lives of “quiet desperation,” despite the fact that you have done so many wonderful, interesting, rich things in your life, have achieved a lot, and have many wonderful things going on in your life now. And you don’t know how to answer that nagging emptiness, confusion, sense of lack, or what to do about it.

That our culture promotes values that are insane from the perspective of the heart.
 
That it is possible to heal from this and reconnect to who you are and what you love.

That there are powerful ways to reconnect with Heart, with our oneness with all Life, with a sense of being supported and guided in our lives, and to help us walk the path of our deepest dreams, co-creating lives of deep meaning, passion, purpose and play.

That we need one another on this journey. And many of us are feeling painfully isolated, separate, too alone in contemporary society, and we were never designed to live this way. We are tribal creatures who are hard-wired to grow, love, and thrive when we are in deep relationship and meaningful community with others. We cannot do this alone.

That we desperately need time to unplug and slow down, tune into ourselves, replenish, nourish and care for that which is closest to our hearts. And we can do this from our natural joy, not as another “should” on our endless to-do list, but as a choice made from love for ourselves and our beautiful world.

That the time is NOW in our world to step up and step out in all our magnificence. We simply cannot afford to hide, to wallow, to not share our gifts and shine. Our world is in crisis. We are needed now.

There is a vitality, a life-force, an energy, a quickening
that is translated through you into action.
And because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique.
And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium, and be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how valuable, nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.
—Martha Graham

Image credits:
Bowl of flowers by Kazu End
Dancers by jean-louis Zimmermann from Moulins, FRANCE [CC BY 2.0 (http-_creativecommons.org_licenses_by_2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Paintbrushes by belchonock copyright 123RF.com
Guitar by Luis Llerena, creative commons
Autumn leaves, 123RF