“We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be.”
– May Sarton

Standing still, the safe way or the scary way. Which path will you choose?

Standing still leads…well to nowhere. No growth, no spiritual development, just… being there. The safe way leads somewhere…but not to where you are supposed to be. Limited growth, limited spiritual development, and just… mindlessly walking through life. But the scary way leads you to where you belong…your true destination. Skyrocketed growth, spiritual awakening, and fully being there…perfectly and authentically you.

Too many of us live our lives being a fraction of who we are. We are afraid to be authentic in fear of offending others, being an outcast or misunderstood. Our inner fire is blown out with our spirits living in darkness so we walk the safe the path or worse… not moving at all.

But, I say no way and to hell with that. Grab that mindset and throw it down to the ground. It’s time to walk scary path leading you to the places where you belong and becoming the person you are meant to be.

So, how do you walk the scary path leading you towards your true place in life?

You need to light your fire, carry your torch and walk your edge.

Light Your Fire
To start being authentic and live true to yourself, light your fire. This is the fire in your heart ignited by your passion for truth and greatness. It burns hot giving you strength, energy and vitality to get on the path and stay on the path. The internal flames motivate you to push through obstacles and challenges to keep moving forward no matter what happens.

Carry Your Torch
Now with your inner fire burning strong, light your torch and carry it on your path. This torch is the light of your inner wisdom and intuition deep within your soul. It helps you see in the darkness and when troubles come along the way. Trust and have faith this light will guide you right to where you need to be.

Walk Your Edge
You ignited the fire in your heart. You are carrying your torch of wisdom and intuition. Now it’s time to be brave and walk your edge.

This is where the rubber meets the road, and the hard work begins. Fear and the real you come face-to-face pushing you to live in absolute truth with courage and strength. No sugar coating and no watered-down versions of yourself. You are not one person in the presence of another while being different in front of another. You are consistent with who you are with each and every person you meet. It means being brutally honest with yourself accepting what needs to be changed and doing what feels right in your heart.

Walking your edge on the scary path is well… scary. Here are some suggestions to keep one foot in front of the other without falling off track… or the edge.

1. Practice on Easy People First: Start being the real you with the people who love and accept you the most. These are the people who celebrate with you and walk by your side through anything. Then, move on the ones who challenge you more. Once you overcome their resistance to you being you, you’ll gain confidence to keep your edge with everyone on your path.
2. Open Your Heart and listen to it speaking to you. Guidance for your life comes to your heart from God helping you live with your truest self. Remember, it’s doesn’t matter what someone else thinks is right, but what you feel is right.
3. Be Unapologetic: Never apologize for being authentically you. If you are sarcastic, be sarcastic. If you are nice, be nice. If you are bold, be bold. If you are quiet, be quiet. Whatever it is as long as it’s you. Never ever sugar coat or downsize who you really are.
4. Be Fearless: To walk your edge means you must face your fears and plow through them. Kick fear in the ass knocking it down so you can move forward.
5. Be Assertive: When someone tries to pull you away from your essence, be assertive and say no! Stand tall and strong for what you believe in. No need to be disrespectful or mean, but remain calm and grounded in your mind and spirit.
6. Use Your Voice: God gave you a voice for reason. To use it. So use it wisely. Speak your truth. Don’t be shy. Tell people how much you care about them. And, don’t let someone cut you down. Express yourself. Be honest. But, always do it with love. Right speech equals loving and truthful speech.
7. Come Out of Hiding: What’s that mask you’ve worn all these years? What about the closet you’ve been hiding in? Are you wearing a set of clothes to cover something deep inside of you? Whatever it is, pull it off and come busting out the doors. Many of you are afraid to show your true colors for fear of rejection or being different. But, you create this fear. Most people want to see the real you instead of a fake persona. And if they don’t like the real you, boo-hoo for them. It’s their loss, not yours.

You need you, the real you. Your family needs you, the real you. Your friends need you, the real you. The world needs you, the real you.

The next time you wake up in the morning, make a choice. Choose to get up, be the real you and take the scary way. And when you do, remember to always…

light your fire, carry your torch and walk your edge.

Featured photo credit by Jordan Whitt