They don't imagine that they can be the star of anything.
They picture themselves as being small and plain, without much talent or ability at anything special. They constantly compare themselves to others and always come up short.
As a result, they hide their talents, are often invisible, and can't be seen behind all of the invalidating energy that surrounds them.
The invalidating energy is the thing that says 'there's not a whole lot to see here, so don't bother to look'.
Though they long to express themselves creatively and originally, they are held back from doing anything of the kind. It's not safe, makes no sense, is a waste of time, takes them away from their 'real' work, and anyway it's never going to go anywhere so why bother doing it in the first place?
The demand to hide in order to be safe can be overwhelming. It also doesn't work, hiding that is. You can hide your whole life and still not feel safe.
It's not your truth that you must spend your life hiding.
If you've ever experienced this, you know how painful it can be. You're not living your truth if you are pretending to be happy and fulfilled while also knowing you're actually hiding. When you begin to tell yourself the truth about who you are and what you want, you can make the changes that help you to step up and be seen.
This is consciousness, self awareness, spiritual growth, and self knowledge. And it's the most healing thing you can do for yourself. You can be the star of your life.
If you are being your authentic self, you will be seen.
When you try to have more time and space to be yourself, you sometimes hit walls that seem to come up out of nowhere. This is the kind of energy you might run into while stepping out of the shadows so that you can become yourself.
This is when the real work of becoming yourself begins. Step up and out of those shadows anyway, no matter what unconscious lies show up that want to push you back. By doing your work and embellishing yourself, you will quiet those negative voices.
Though it may be easy to think up any number of reasons why you shouldn't do this, there are many more reasons you should. The main one is this; if you don't do this for yourself, nobody else will.
It's often when you decide to create more space for yourself to write that book, learn to play the guitar, or have more time for yourself, that you need to move this wall of energy out of your way. You can always decide to plow on through it, and do what you want anyway. That works too.
The invalidating-hiding energy is a lie that says you don't really have much to say or express, so why not just play it safe and not try in the first place?
It can be scary to take your place, to shine and sparkle and be seen. Then all of a sudden, it's fun.
It's also the real reason why you are here - to do your work, and by doing so, give to the rest of us. You are the only one who can do what you can do, and we need you to do it.
You become a gift and a great example to all of us when you embrace your gifts, develop them, and use them in the world. You are helping to create a new world by doing so.
So you are actually helping to move others along toward their own truth, when you embrace yours. Another way to say this is that by giving to yourself and letting yourself be the star, you give to the rest of us. Thank you!
As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence actually liberates others. -Marianne Williamson