Joyfully freeing shadows empowering us to fill in the blanks.
That’s the week that was. In just the past five days of our shared journey we’ve discussed freeing ourselves, seeing our shadows, developing joy, empowering ourselves and embracing the reasons why we find ourselves on this path to “Becoming”.
Acknowledging that, we can look forward to building momentum.
Thorough self examination, meditation, contemplation and prayers are the places where we can begin to formulate the answers we seek. In order to continue building momentum, which I believe should always be focused on moving both forward and upward, let’s revisit our earlier discussions to be better prepared and equipped for the trip ahead.

Finding the freedom to renew, rejuvenate and revitalize yourself begins with an understanding of all that being free means. Here is an abbreviated version of my
8 Steps to Freedom:
- Check and Protect your Self Esteem
Your self-worth has everything to do with the ability to free yourself. Challenge your negative thinking.Be aware that long-held thoughts and beliefs can feel normal and factual, even though they are not. Often these false perceptions are just opinions devoid of any truth. Then make sure you are not getting involved in patterns of self delusion or accepting falsehoods as the truth.
- Live Authentically and Expectantly
Always be expecting, and expecting nothing less than the best. Let your inner light be your guide. Connect with the Spirit through quiet reflection, meditation or prayer. Seek the wisdom of your heart-center when you are faced with important choices and decisions.
Be your highest self. Remember who you are intended to be.
Let go of habits, routines and people that no longer serve you. Release guilt and anxiety. Surround yourself with those who love you, believe in you, and only want the best for you.
Speak your truth. Find your voice. Use your words. Express yourself. Do not limit yourself. The truth will set you free.
Learn to trust your intuition. Follow your heart, your spirit and the mind will follow. I knew for decades, those hunches were right. Plus when I did listen I was either very successful or well protected, whatever the need of the moment was. At the same time though, society would try to mock “women’s intuition”. Well you know what? “They” only attack what they fear.
Recognize connections. There is an invisible web of connection between people, events and even the places in your life. This is how God nudges and guides you towards your destiny.I know and have given testimony many times, in many ways as to how I have been led throughout my life. I only ask that it continues and truly it is.
Live courageously. What would you do if you were not afraid? Take risks. Step out of your comfort zone. What happens when you make a decision, it either works or it doesn’t. Go ahead I dare you to, just like I did myself!
Celebrate Life. Live it. Feel it. Be it. Honor yourself by living every day to the fullest.
It was only through conquering my fears and doubts, accepting help and challenges plus surrendering all that I could that I realized I am now and will continue to be living my truly authentic life. It’s all part of “Becoming” and has delivered me to a place where I can finally honestly, boldly proclaim:
“I love Life. I love the Lord. I love myself”.
- Empower Yourself and Learning to Say “NO”
Dive into your strength. You’re only limited by your own thoughts. Create a shift in your thinking; empower yourself to live the life you want. Ask for ( and receive) the support of your higher power.
Accept that you can and should say “NO”. For women this is often hard. We are not being selfish, if we have to put someone off for a while. Nancy Reagan tried to teach us all to just say “NO” to drugs plus how many times have you had to tell him, “NO”!
- Practice Forgiveness
You can not create a state of “Becoming”, if you aren’t willing to let the former or current realities go.This is a vital part of “Becoming”. Not only forgiving others for perceived wrongs, and asking for forgiveness from those you may have hurt but also forgiving yourself.
It is then, and only then, that you can let go of anger, guilt, shame, or any other feeling limiting your growth. Let it go. Face forward, look upward and you get busy moving on.
- Be Grateful
See the good in everything and everyone. Cherish beauty, kindness, love, and joy. I believe everyday should be Thanksgiving. I am constantly giving gratitude for all things including the lessons we sometimes don’t want or think we need.
Being grateful puts us in a better state. One of bliss, joy and abundance. When you decide to adopt and commit to an attitude of gratitude, God listens and rewards you.
- Realize Reactions Resonate
As one of my favorite quotes from Chuck Swindoll reminds us, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.”
So begin by accepting the fact that you are co-Creator. You are more than capable of choosing the right actions when pushed, promised or promoted. Accept Personal Responsibility. In order to fully accept your reality, you must take ownership of any role you may have played, good or bad, in leading you to where you are. When you do, then you can work on decisions for the next steps.
- Love Thy Self
Be free to love yourself. When you do, then you are free to love others. Be vulnerable. Opening yourself to growth. To me it seems the best way to heal is by learning a lesson from the situation, then using it to be “Becoming”. Channel your thoughts, intentions, desires and energies into focusing on growth and building that momentum that moves both forward and upward.
Do not get stuck in the “coulda, woulda, shoulda” mentality. Hanging onto to what should have happened, what could have happened, or what you wished would have happened, give yourself motivation to get over it. Release it and heal. Or keep a grip on it and be paralyzed; immobilized by feelings of pain and bad memories.
- Always Be “Becoming”
Let your emotions flow freely. Do not keep things bottled up. Burying your feelings not only causes the pain to remain, oftentimes it can increase and have negative physical effects on our bodies ( and minds) as well. You are not the only one who has ever been afraid to face a negative or painful emotion, just realize you need to do it. Face your fears, breathe and let them pass through you. Do not allow them to define you.

See Your Shadow
Since most of us are at least initially unwilling to see or accept anything unattractive or negative about ourselves, most often we are likely to see the shadows of others befor our own. However opening up to the willingness and responsibility of exploring our dark sides has many powerful benefits including having a clearer focus, a better defined vision, improved relationships, a more accepting and acknowledging attitude, greater creativity, and a more awakened spirit.
All are tools empowering us along our paths towards “Becoming”. So quit putting it off and realize you must embrace yourself and accept your dark side. No more denying or hiding. You have a dark side. I have a dark side. We all have dark sides. The time has come now for us to admit it and free ourselves from it’s negative power and side effects.
Acknowledging your dark side does not mean you have to embrace it.

Develop Your Joy
Joy is power, a strength and a reward that exists within each of us. It’s our individual responsibility to nurture it , co-create it and share it.
It is through how we choose to react to obstacles, circumstances and life in general as to how we do or do not experience joy. No one can truly take it away from you. Only you can prevent yourself from experiencing it.
Joy is extremely important to overcoming tests and trials as well as on our path of “Becoming” as it is through joy that we lead ourselves out of the darkness with Peace. Joy is one of the tools we are equipped with, to aid us in finding our answers, soulutions, authentic lives and to “Becoming” our destiny.

Empower Yourself
When you have improved the vision of who you are, then you can shift towards where you want to be. Open yourself up to new possibilities. Dreams do come true. Trust yourself, do what you love and love who you are while doing it. Embrace your times of imperfection with grace and forgiveness and empower yourself to conquer any self limiting aspects.
To live an empowered life open yourself to a “Becoming”. Be purposeful in living for great expectations, realizations and continued growth. Empowerment means that you are stronger, bolder, more secure. Better able to deal with those distractions, circumstances and moments of stress. Deciding to empower yourself allows for you to make superior decisions, including having the conscious determination to be “Becoming”. By that action you are committing to continue evolving to the next higher level.
Yes you will still encounter delays, obstacles and troubles. However accepting the responsibility for your own empowerment, by focusing on who you are and where you want to be, allows for you to live a life that is truly authentic, more rewarding and of significance.
And if you encounter resistance, hold yourself with Grace. Haters will always hate. Gossips will run their mouths and the fearful will try to scare you. Hold your head high, shoulders back and nurture yourself in your new empowered confidence and in who you are “Becoming Today”.

Fill in the blank:
“You are” what? That question is one you must answer for ourselves. Our first steps along this recurring journey are always being in touch with who we are, where we are and where we want to be “Becoming”.
You are … wondering why this topic today? Well it’s because I need some reinforcement in my own definition. So being open to inspiration and gratefully acknowledging the gift of Grace, it was quite apparent I needed to look past some distractions, remain on course and continue trusting that for every delay, disappointment and obstacle God has already overcome them for me, for I are….
Since I ( and hopefully you) are “Becoming” our destiny, who we are truly intended to be then If I truthfully fill in the blank, there are many answers, solutions and outcomes.
“You are ________.”
… not meant to just get by.
… beautiful.
… empowered.
… strong enough.
… vibrant.
… fearless.
… focused.
… “Becoming”.
So all of this brings us to working our A.B.B.s:

Consistency counts. Regular exercise improves our immunity. Strengthens us for what challenges, difficulties or obstacles may lay ahead. Speaking of what I’m expecting just ahead of my post, is tomorrow’s Back to Back Superbowl wins for our Kansas City Chiefs! Enjoy your weekend and join us Monday for another edition of “Becoming Today”.