Two years ago, I was afraid to show up in the world.

I was afraid to take up space. I was afraid to be seen as my real self. I was afraid to tell my story.

I felt the longing, but I was hiding - mostly behind the story that I was just a private, shy person - so why would I even want to bother with stuff like that anyway?

Except that I did want to.

I wanted to be creative and share that creativity with the world.

I wanted to be known as my real self and build relationships and create community from that space.

I knew I had something to say, and I wanted to say it.

And I’d sort of forgotten how I've come with this - until today when someone reflected it back to me. She said: “When I first knew you, I kept confusing you with someone else and didn’t feel like I could get to know you. Today, it’s like you’re a completely different person.”

But it’s not that I’m a different person.

It’s that I’ve deepened my capacity and cultivated the courage to, more and more, show up in the world as I *actually* am - in all my bigness, brilliance, complexity, and truth.

And the world is better for it.

I believe this is true for all of us. When we show up as our real selves, when we tell our stories, when we shine our light - we are bringing something sacred to the world.

And I’m here to tell you that if this feels impossible, it’s not.

We can decide to make a change and then steer our energies in that direction, step by step, in ways that lead to staggering transformation.

And I’m cheering for each and every one of you on that journey.

Because the world needs your light, truth, and brilliance.