If I am not for myself who is for me? And being for my own self, what am ‘I’? And if not now, when? –Hillel the Elder

Welcome to another week of Life Tools! The Sacred Power of Your Ripple flows through infinity; but it starts with you. Why would you expect someone else to be accepting of you, if you don’t fully accept yourself?

We need to make a daily commitment to accept ourselves in every moment; to be kind to ourselves; to appreciate ourselves. That’s truly the only validation we need. And this begins with you truly understanding your voice.

When we think of our voice, we often view it as the words that come out of our mouth. But this is just the vibration of our vocal cords. Your voice is much more expansive than simply words—it’s the energy you flow in every moment and the ripple of that energy. We “speak” in verbal and nonverbal ways—from the choices we’ve made to the messages we send— to the divine purpose that holds our stars apart and our Universe together.

Some of us have dimmed our light over fear of being diminished by another – biting our tongues or walking on eggshells because we don’t have the confidence to risk being judged. Some of us feel listened to – but don’t feel heard. That’s usually because we believe the other person isn’t being present while we are expressing ourselves.

So sometimes we just quit . . . we just shut down. No more!

The Sacred Power of Your Ripple invites you to shout your magnificence from every rooftop; to stop dimming your light and turn it up brighter; to say what’s on your mind; to do what feels true in the moment; to risk failure; to express yourself from your heart; and to let your passion flow.

You can express your voice through your physical appearance; through your job or your career; through your hobbies, interests, and causes; through your writings, posts, creations, and performances; and through the daily energy you flow into the world.

Expressing yourself physically, emotionally, and verbally is a very important aspect of the Sacred Power of Your Ripple. Each of us desperately needs to be heard in some way. Many of us feel the need to compel, convince, persuade, or convert others. Some of us just want what’s inside of us to be witnessed by another. We are beings of expression and knowing someone is “listening” helps validate that we have meaning in this life.

Some of us express our ripple simply by putting ourselves out there. We want someone to know how we feel or what something means to us. We want people to see the “real” us at our best. We want someone to connect with us on our own terms. And, sometimes we simply need to share, release, vent, or commune.

Whatever vehicle we choose, we can share and express ourselves in the form of encouragement, intimate encounters, and works of creativity. All are forms of the Sacred Power of Your Ripple—various expressions of letting your “voice” be heard. Choosing the right way to physically, emotionally, or tangibly purr or roar in the right moment makes all the difference.

So stop playing small. Pick your moment. And, let your voice be heard!

Peace. –davidji