Copyright 2006 Reggie Odom

Do you know how special you are, simply because you are? You are a natural, you are unique. . . one-of-a-kind. We need you since you are the only one of you. The great dancer and choreographer Martha Graham wrote the following with Agnes deMille:

There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening That is translated through you into action, And because there is only one of you in all time, This expression is unique. If you block it, It will never exist through any other medium And will be lost. The world will not have it.

Life purpose consists of who you are created to be and what you are created to do. We all know that a whole lot of “doing” goes on in life. In fact, many can probably relate well to being a human “doing.” In the busyness of life, it is easy to forget that we are actually human “beings.” Being is a prerequisite for doing.

Let’s go back to the first part of the definition of Life Purpose – do you know who you are created to be? You already are that, even if you’ve forgotten. It’s your essence, the core of who you are. For some people their essence is “warmth.” For others it might be sparkle, or passion, strength, caring, or playfulness. We all have aspects of many qualities. However, there is usually one that stands out above all the rest that is the essence of who we are.

Your essence is who you naturally are. I’ll repeat that, your essence is who you naturally are. You don’t have to try to be that, it’s not what you think you should be, or what others expect you to be. It’s simply who you are when you show up. Being who you are is the most important thing you can do in your life. Your essence may be described with the same word that describes someone else’s essence, like “warmth.” But your expression of it is unique because you are. Have you ever heard how the universe claps when you are being who you are? Besides being unique, who you are is magnificent, brilliant. And you don’t have to work at it. You simply have to be it. Imagine being brilliant, naturally. I love the word brilliance. I love being around people when they are being brilliant, when they are shining, which is what happens when people are real, or authentic. I always consider it in the top rung of gifts.

Marianne Williamson says that it is our light which most frightens us, not our darkness. Imagine that. She also says that “we are born to manifest the glory that is within us. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same…”

You are a natural! You are brilliant! You are magnificent! Simply by being you. Won’t you let your light shine?

When you are being who you are as you are doing what you do, you will have a brilliant time of it, naturally.