
18 Feb Lights, Camera, Action
If your life is like a play on a stage, are you playing the lead role in it? You’ve probably heard this question posed before. Sometimes it might feel like you’re not. Like you’re just a supporting actor or even worse, you have a role with no lines.
It feels like life is happening to you. You’re watching from the wings and never get a chance to say your bit, to speak up for what you want and who you are.
But answer me this, are you blaming your audience? Does your spouse or mother or your friends like to share their news and talk about themselves more than listen to you?
Maybe you feel like you have nothing of value to offer to those around you compared to what they have to say.
Thinking in this way can create a lot of resentment towards those closest to you – and towards yourself. You stay small and quiet and it feels like you are lacking something that everyone else has.
When you don’t feel seen by those around you it feels hard to shine. You’re never center stage.
You’re not getting the chance to SHOWCASE who you are.
Stephen Cope talks about being seen and being recognised by others and how exhilarating this can feel; when they see you and wonder “Who is this remarkable person?”.
It would seem like the solution is to surround yourself with an audience who loves what’s on show. But before you go replacing all of your family and friends, the first audience you need to impress is yourself.
It’s a gradual journey and you won’t be an overnight sensation because it takes time and commitment. But once you decide you want to step into the spotlight and show yourself, the journey has begun.
If you’ve never felt seen before, the first place to start is to quietly practice generating the feeling of being seen. Sit with the idea of someone being totally enthralled in what you have to say and who you are.
Completely enraptured.
Being admired.
People wanting more.
This important step allows you to imagine what it might be like. It’s helps you get familiar with a feeling that you’ve never had before. It acts as a bridge to get you to the place you want to be and provides a sense that it may be possible to get there.
Over time, the feeling becomes more natural and you start to respond by taking new actions. This slowly translates to seeing yourself in a new light and you move closer to playing the lead role.
Doing this work over and over again, is how you start to become impressed with yourself.
Then you realise it’s true: the only audience you need to please is yourself.
We get stuck in our roles because we’ve never experienced what it feels like to feel anything different. When you can start to connect with this feeling of being seen, that is when change beings to happen. The work of believing in yourself and liking what you see means you will showcase more of yourself and live a bigger, more authentic life.
If you don’t believe in your remarkableness just yet, you can borrow some of my belief in you:
I see you. You are a beautiful, smart, amazing human with so much to offer. I know what’s inside, I know the potential you have.
I encourage you to take the steps towards playing the lead role in your own life.
Showcase your full potential – to yourself and to the world.