Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Post #96: You've Got It, so Flaunt It!

As I mentioned last week, I love the show, Once Upon a Time, and my favorite character is the bad guy, Rumplestiltskin/Mr.Gold. The actor who plays him, Robert Carlyle, is brilliant, and I realized I'd seen him somewhere before, so I snooped around and discovered he had played the lead role in the 1997 film, The Full Monty.

If you haven't seen it, The Full Monty is about a group of men, woefully unemployed  misfits, who decide they're going to make money by putting on a one-night-only striptease show for the townswomen. They are ridiculed because no one sees the men as particularly sexy or talented (and because they're promising to take it all off). It's a joke to the town; that is until the moment when these courageous men step onto the stage and into their magnificence. It was one of the most surprisingly inspiring transformations I had ever seen on screen, and I loved it.

Watching the old movie trailer recently made me realize that it's not how smart or creative or young or fit or good looking we are that makes us shine. You don't have to have perfect pitch or straight teeth to be a star. And you don't have to be a star to put out a lot of light. It's all in how you show up and the fact that you show up in the first place. It's about saying to yourself, "This is who I am, and I'm pretty hot!"

This week, I'm asking you to take a moment to notice if there's an old, worn-out story you tell yourself (and others) about why you can't get what you want or be who you want to be. Maybe you believe that your weight or your age prevents you from finding a partner, or that you have to earn another degree before you can get a decent job. As long as you believe these stories, you will block your dream. The only real problem or limitation lies in failing to shine your unique light bright enough to match what it is you're looking for.

If you don't believe me, look around. Notice the difference between people who radiate confidence and go for it, and those who do not. This week, please join me in questioning that story, or busting it altogether. It takes courage to accept responsibility for the energy you're putting out there, but it can truly set you free.

I hope you have a bold and exhilerating week. And remember, you can leave your hat on.
Click to see trailer for The Full Monty


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