Today I thought I'd share a little behind the scenes at Back to the South Bling.  I wanted to share with you my business' theme song.  It may sound odd to you that a business has a song, but keep reading and you'll understand.

A childhood song

When I was a kid, our Sunday School Teacher taught us a Christian song written in the 1920s called, "This Little Light of Mine."   The words to the song are,

This little light of mine
I’m going to let it shine
Oh, this little light of mine
I’m going to let it shine

This little light of mine
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, all the time, let it shine

All around the neighborhood
I’m going to let it shine
All around the neighborhood
I’m going to let it shine
All around the neighborhood

I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, all the time, let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m going to let it shine

Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m going to let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, all the time, let it shine.

Don’t let Satan [blow] it out!
I’m going to let it shine
Don’t let Satan [blow] it out!
I’m going to let it shine
Don’t let Satan [blow] it out!
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, all the time, let it shine.

Jesus gave it to me
I'm going to let it shine
Jesus gave it to me
I'm going to let it shine
Jesus gave it to me
I'm going to let it shine
let it shine, let it shine, oh let it shine.

We sang it every week and it was one of my favorites.  I still sing it to this day.  This song obviously stuck with me not just because we should let our love for Christ shine, but over the years, I also took it to mean we should shine.  We should let the light (our gifts and who we are) in us shine.

My favorite verse is:

Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m going to let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m going to let it shine
Let it shine, all the time, let it shine.

You probably guessed that didn't you?

As a child, I grew up watching women around me dim their light.  They were amazing women, but for many different reasons, they didn't let their light out.  They dimmed themselves to make someone else shine, and oftentimes, that person's light didn't even come close to shining as bright.

It saddened me and I still see women doing the same thing today.  When I created Back to the South Bling, my goal was and is to do all that I can to make sure women know and understand how wonderful and amazing they are.  

I mean think about it; if you have a bling cup, a bling t-shirt, a bling accessory, you can't hide in the crowd, you can't dim yourself.  You are going to stand out and I'm all for helping you do just that!

Why be someone you aren't?

We all want to belong.  We all want to be loved.  That's human nature and perfectly understandable, but what is that costing you?  Does the person you are depend on who you are with?  It shouldn't.  If you are yourself, you don't have to remember who you are "supposed to be".

Trying to be who everyone wants or expects you to be so that they are pleased is exhausting and unfair to everyone.  It's exhausting and unfair to you because you have to figure out who you should be and it's unfair that you are expected to be someone you aren't.  Did I mention it's exhausting?  It's impossible to please everyone and it's stressful!  Be true to yourself and be you.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. 

The world needs a you, and a me, and every other person here.  I believe that we each have a purpose and if you are trying to be someone else, you aren't fulfilling that purpose.  You're trying to fulfill someone else's.  Your purpose, your light is what is needed.  Share it with us.  

If you're trying to be someone else, do you believe that what you have to offer isn't enough?  Because it is.  You are enough.  Who you are is amazing.  Comparing yourself to someone else or thinking who they are is so much better than who you are is well...exhausting.  Feeling as if you don't measure up is exhausting.  Comparison is the thief of joy and I don't know about you, but I don't think anyone wins in the comparison game.  It just leaves you feeling empty, unloved, and unhappy, which I know is the opposite of what you want.  Instead of wasting that energy on a list of all the things you aren't, how about creating a list of all that you are?  If you are in a place where you can't do that, ask 5 of your closest friends to tell you 3 things they love about you.  

Perhaps you may feel uncomfortable about asking them to do this, but you will be amazed at how differently your friends (I mean your true friends, not acquaintances) see you.  Their picture and your picture will be different.

I did this exercise a few years ago and I was so scared to ask them and of the outcome.  Why?  Because I knew how I sometimes talk to myself and so I assumed that they would see what I saw about myself.  I couldn't have been more wrong!  

Ask them.  They will be more than happy to help and don't be surprised if they ask you to do the same for them!

We are our own worst critic, yes, but I believe that if we show ourselves more grace and love, we will see ourselves differently.

Being yourself makes you feel empowered because you are giving yourself the freedom to remove the "fake" you.  None of us need anything extra to bog us down so free yourself and let that other you go!  You'll be happier and more relieved that those who know the real you love you!

What's one way you can let your light shine today?