No one really wants to be ordinary.
Whether we acknowledge it or not, we all yearn to be different. To stand out.
But in a way, that makes us all the same… doesn’t it?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always felt this divine awareness that I’m meant to do something big with my life. As though I’m destined for greatness. Not really knowing what that meant until recently, I now understand why so many of us live incredibly ordinary lives and die with our gifts still inside – even when we know we’re meant for more.
Society tells us that greatness equals power and money. That happiness comes once you’ve achieved influence and wealth. The media tells us that we must be attractive and educated to achieve greatness. We have to meet their idealistic standards before we can be seen as anything more than ordinary. History tells us that we must fulfill specific roles created by the generations before us, regardless of how different the world may be today, to be the greatest version of ourselves.
But most detrimental of all, our friends, family, teachers, and elders tell us to “listen”. To “conform”. To “play by the rules”. We’re taught from a very young age that if we do things a certain way – typically someone else’s way – we will achieve greatness. And if we contest? If we question authority? If we freely express our thoughts, ideas, and impulses? We get disciplined. Labeled. Shamed.
Greatness, in my opinion, is living our lives fully present, with a grateful heart, always striving to serve others. It’s not just using the gifts we’ve been given, but using them in a meaningful, impactful way. It’s courageously owning who we really are and being unapologetically authentic.
Greatness, to me, is making the effort and taking the risks to find our life’s purpose – and actually LIVING IT – every single day. Even if you spend your entire life searching for your purpose until your very last breath, you are feeding your soul, growing, and likely, inspiring others along the way. That in itself may be your purpose!
For most of us, achieving greatness means following the guidelines set before us by entities other than ourselves. We think that if we have more money, more influence, more knowledge, more beauty, more this, more that, then we could reach some sort of exclusivity. But what most of us fail to understand is that these things have ZERO to do with other people.
We don’t need anyone’s approval or permission to step into our own brilliance.
Greatness can only be pursued, discovered, revealed, and shared with the world by ourselves individually. No one else.
It’s a rewarding journey that starts deep inside of us, and only we as individuals carry the power to pull it out of us.
So, friends, what is your idea of greatness and how do you plan to start living it???
Originally published at herbrilliantlife.com