Hi Friends,

My husband, Mark, and I were out for coffee this past weekend with our three year old son, Odyn. Through the course of our conversation Mark shared with me an inspirational idea that he has been wanting to explore but felt that his fear has been holding him back. I was doing my best to inspire him with how I believe that he has to go for his dreams or else he’ll always regret it; that following what lights him up is truly his life purpose.

Humming and nodding, Mark listened intently to my best, “The world needs your unique light, don’t let fear hold you back” speech. It was then, as if on cue that Odyn puts down his muffin, looks up at his father and says boldly, “Muscle up buttercup!” and then laughs. My husband’s eyes filled with tears. He then looks at me and says, “Well, that settles it then doesn’t it?”

Fear keeps us small. It usually happens like this; we feel a surge of inspiration and our hearts beat faster with excitement at the thought of doing something that lights us up – we feel alive! Whether it’s a song we feel inspired to write, a new business venture, a book idea, an invention – whatever it might be that we feel divinely inspired to create. But then the ‘voice of reason’ speaks up and points out all the ways our plan will not work. All the ways that putting ourselves out there will make us vulnerable to pain and criticism. All the reasons we need to stay small.

So we recoil, pull our inspiration back up inside our hearts and scold ourselves for daring to dream.

But we all have an innocent three year old inside of us that is chanting, “Muscle up buttercup!” That part of us – our soul – that knows why we are here on this planet and the unique contribution that we are here to make. It knows that ‘thing’ that is inside us dying to be manifest if only we could get past our fears, past our ego, and be courageous enough to be seen.

There is nothing more inspiring than watching someone live from a place of authentic creative courage. Someone who by being their authentic self in this world and bringing forth, their unique light – in whatever form that may be – truly shines.

What is that dream you’ve always longed for? That inspiring idea that you have, but never actualized? What lights you up and calls, begs, for you to create it?

It’s time to look your fear in the eye and see it for what it truly is – a call for expansion.
It’s an invitation to challenge the false beliefs that you think are keeping you safe, but they are really keeping you small.

Get still and listen to what your soul has been put here to create, contribute, and offer.

Because if you don’t do it, it will not happen and we’ll all miss out on your unique offering to the world.

It’s time to “Muscle up buttercup!”

xo, M