Photo by “This Little Light of Mine…I’m Going to Let it Shine”
These are the words from an old gospel song written by Harry Dixon Loes in the 1920’s. Popularized for children, I think it has some messages for us today.
I find increasingly that women are reluctant to share their current understanding of their purpose, their vision for their lives and the world they live in, and their goals. Why is that?
Some reason given include:
· “ What I want and envision is unrealistic, unbelievable, or unachievable”
· “ My ideas are not fully developed”
· “I don’t want to be open to judgment or criticism”
· “It is too spiritual, too woo woo”
· “It is too personal”
· “It is too big…or not big enough”
· “It is too selfish”
And one that I find myself saying: “What if I fail and then have to admit it to others?”
BUT THIS IS ALL RUBBISH! See I am not immune to this problem either. I have to guard against these negative thoughts and beliefs as well.
And yet we probably learned this at an early age or there would not be the gospel song “This Little Light of Mine..”
So, what to do, what to do:
You probably think I am going to counter each one of the above arguments. Well, I am not. That does not seem to work for me either. Instead I ask you to reflect on the following:
- If individuals had waited on realistic goals, we would not have electricity or cars today.
- If we do not share what we are thinking and dreaming, we will never gain clarity on what we want. There is a truism that we have to share with another to truly become aware ourselves. This is one of the operating principles of coaching.
- If we do not share what we see as possible, we are doomed to the status quo.
I do not find negating my negative thoughts particularly helpful. On the other hand, I find sharing my dreams really scary. But when I do, more often than not, I get a little hope it might be possible and a little help to make it so.
So dream on and share on. And remember the words of George Bernard Shaw:
“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends upon the unreasonable man.”