(originally published 2019)

Let's get right to it!

Here we are, week 5 on our series of SHINING!

Recap:
*Part 1- There are areas of our life where we don’t shine.
*Part 2- How to start building the shine muscle.
*Part 3- Shining requires work.
*Part 4- Tools to help us (Dahlia flower essence, body language)

What a ways we have come! I hope that this series has helped you stop and take a look at all the ways you can shine and will shine!

Today we are going to be giving ourselves permission to shine.

The universe has been talking to me and showing up in all sorts of ways, showing me where I can shine, and encouraging me (so I can then share that encouragement with you!) and it has been amazing!

Thanks, Universe!

A few days ago, Alexandra and Luciana wanted to face time their Nana (my Mom). It was before noon and so the sun was shining brightly. We all moved near a window, so Nana could see her girls well, and dialed up.

The girls were having so much fun “chatting” with their Nana, although it’s always more of a circus show, and I noticed how good my skin looked. I thought, Wow, I look really nice today! Clear skin, bright eyes, lookin’ pretty good!

In the span of ten minutes, the girls yelled NANA, 8 million times, twirled for her, tugged on the phone and the call was over.

I walked over to Guapo and said, “Man I look pretty good in that light, I wish I could that light around with me everywhere!” And the Universe/God/Source (the force that created us and connects us all came a knockin’.)

And Guapo said, “You can.”

He continued, “Step into your light, FULLY. Step into it now.”

WOW.
WOW.
WOW.

Everyone can be our teacher, you know?

I sat there, in the most beautiful sense of shock.

I thought, He’s right. I can take this light around with me. I can step into my light FULLY.

I let his words lift me up and then -- we went shopping. A girl can’t sit around being introspective all day!

Later that afternoon we were in an Uber on our way to lunch, I was scrolling through Instagram and saw this.

Lighthouses don’t running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.

Dang! God is not playing around today!

Isn’t that amazing? We can shine and JUST BE.

We don’t have to move around, or collect people to rescue, or fill our to-do lists with things that prove we are shining, we can just SHINE.

But, Catia, what’s the point of doing all that work TO shine, but then not showing it off?

I hear you. But the older I get, the more I realize, the deeper we go within ourselves, the less showing off matters.

There’s no need to prove anything or to make sure someone knows how awesome you are. The people who need to know will know, just by being in your presence.

When you are fully yourself, you will stand taller, be more confident and be in touch with your voice. You will cease to be swayed by negativity, or worse toxicity. You will have risen so far above the fray, that those things won’t even be able to reach you.

You are worthy of shining, so let yourself. Give yourself permission to be all of who you are, and be proud of it!

I’m forever learning to be forever teaching. I’m here for you.