This went out to my newsletter list a few months ago. After an emotional couple of weeks (Ben’s anniversary, my daughter’s birthday) I needed to read it again. I thought you might want to hear it too.

You are luminous.

Yes you.

I know this for a fact.

I know it because we all are.

Every single one of us has an inner light – a glow.

It’s there in the voice that whispers Yes! when fear tells you No. It’s there in the you that knows deep down inside you’re going to survive, even though life has brought you to your knees and you’re not sure how you’ll ever stand again.

It’s there even if you can’t see it.

Sometimes it’s covered by overwhelming emotion – grief, anger, despair…

Sometimes it’s hidden under layers of grime built up by judgment, disapproval and comparison; by the voices of parents, teachers, society.

But it’s there and it’s ready to shine brighter.

Your glow is what calls the people you need into your life.  It’s what draws joy to you and finds you the support you need when you’re feeling lost and alone. It’s what helps you feel seen when you’re tired of being invisible. Your glow is what allows you to feel peace even when the waves are crashing all around you.

So the journey isn’t to “get” a glow. It’s to uncover it, like a prospector searching for his vein of gold. It’s to learn to live whole-heartedly with the grime while listening deeply to what’s underneath:

To your emotions and your intuition. To your inner wisdom.

They are your moment-by-moment guides through this life.

Listen. Listen closely. What are they telling you right now?

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P.S. Shine starts two weeks from today. Instead of a power wash with the hose labeled “Fix me”, Shine is a gentle soak in love until the grime begins to melt away.

Here is what Casey Bee wrote on her blog about her experience during the second week of Shine:
“It’s incredible, really. Shine is showing me a side of my personality that I thought I’d completely lost in the midst of my grief. I’m getting closer than ever to finding that place of peace within myself that is eternal and unshakeable.”