When I was in my thirties, I was traveling with a group in China. I was unsettled and not sure where my life was going. A woman, whom I had just met on the trip, said to me “Jane, you reveal everything on your face.” I felt uncomfortable by these words and I realized that she was seeing my unhappiness. It made me think about how I was revealing myself, perhaps too much, and how I didn’t want others to know all my feelings. There are many reasons we may want to hold back and not share all of ourselves.
But I have discovered how wonderful it is when we find a friend whom we can trust and share our deepest thoughts! It is such a gift to our soul! It is through our relationships we learn how to love and learn what we value in life.
I thought of the lady in China when I saw a Stress Management form. The sheet was a form where you had to reply to various statements, but this one caught my eye~
“Anyone watching me could tell what’s really important to me in life”
(1)Definitely (2) I think so and (3) no way.
We are always looking out into the world at others, but how are we showing ourselves to the world?
What was I revealing to that lady? My sadness, my fear or did she see my deep concern for what I was seeing in the cities of China…?
How often has someone said to you about someone, ‘Oh, she’s really nice once you get to know her’? Or, ‘He just looks tough, but he’s an old softy inside.’
Why are we afraid to reveal ourselves to the world? We should all be radiating our true self but we hold back. I know there are things about myself and my life I do not share. We all have private memories and that’s okay. But what am I revealing to others each day?
If your answer to the above statement is (3) no way, perhaps it is time for you to open up and take a step to trust in yourself, trust others…to reveal yourself. There are times when we are grieving, angry or fearful. Sharing with another helps us to relieve stress in these moments. It can be a time of love and bonding. Love is always supportive and uplifting!
“What do I value…what is really important in my life? I hope that people can now see, when they look at me, what I value…my family, friends…love, compassion and peace. There are many values such as love, justice, honesty, patience, integrity, tolerance, diversity, that can be reflected in our lives by what we are doing.
We tend to forget how important each person is! We need you to reveal your true self each day, so anyone who is watching you can tell what your values are and how they make the world a better place.
You may encourage others to be peaceful and kind without saying a word…just by being you and allowing others to see your inner beauty.
I never saw that lady I met in China again, but I never forgot how she taught me to be more self-aware. Still learning this lesson…awareness is an ever evolving process…
I love these words by Marianne Williamson~
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Peacefully, Jane
Jane Rosalea Brown, BA, CSW
Peaceful Way Meditation Blog
Author, In Silence, Discovering Self through Meditation
Author Name: Jane Rosalea Booth
A Peaceful Way Meditation 