That saying is all too familiar and quite frankly, wells up a lot of emotions I would just assume suppress.



I have vivid childhood memories of sneaking to the back of the line while our class was enduring the state testing for physical fitness. My body was not strong, I was uncoordinated and quite amusing to watch. I was so afraid of what others might think of me that I allowed those fears to dictate my actions, or lack thereof.

To this day I have never made the attempt to pole vault or climb the knotted rope to reach the top of the bar. It would take a lot of training to get my body in shape to take on the task, as my physical body is not naturally strong. Of course there will be some who will say if I set my mind to it I could have accomplished either of these tasks. Perhaps their assumption is correct. With some exercise, determination and confidence, I may have been able to overcome my fear of failure.

However, I have come to a realization that has extended an abundance of freedom to my life. It is through this revelation that I have been able to rest in who I am and stop striving to be someone other than myself.

Are you ready to discover the truth that will lead you to the same freedom? Are you ready to stop striving to fill someone else's shoes? This revelation has literally changed my life, how I perceive myself and my level of confidence.

The truth of the matter is, no matter how determined I am or how much I set my mind to something, I am still challenged by my giftedness, natural talents and abilities. These act as a blueprint of who I am. While some critics may tout this as negativity, I declare this as blatant honesty.

Rather than striving to be someone I am not, I focus on the elements in life that I am passionate about and gifted and begin to develop these areas to be the best that I can be. I have discovered the areas where I am naturally gifted and have incorporated these talents into my business, my relationships, volunteer work and home life.

While natural talents and abilities may be present, there is always room for self-improvement and education. It's important to continue on the journey of self-discovery, enhancement and personal growth.

Uncertain about what your strengths and weaknesses are? Just ask those closest to you or begin a list of things you really enjoy doing. What motivates you? What brings joy to your heart? What kinds of tasks, events or people consume your thoughts? Chances are, you will discover a lot about who you are when you begin to ponder these questions and be well on your way to being free from striving to be someone you are not meant to be.

Discovering your unique giftedness will lead you on a journey of contentment and satisfaction of enjoying the riches of who you were created to be. Each of us is designed differently and it is through these differences that we each bring a special element to our communities.