As a wee girl I had grand fantasies of being in the spotlight.  At first I thought I’d be a famous ballerina, then a famous jockey, then the President of the United States.  I wasn’t sure how it would happen, but I always wanted to be seen.  I dreamed of being cast on my favorite sitcoms and variety shows, and before I was old enough to try out for the community theater I was staging productions in my basement.  As the producer, director, set designer, lighting and sound technician, it’s hard to believe I also found time to star in the show!

40 years later and I’m still striving for that light.  Now I’m a bit more pragmatic and recognize my strengths and outsource my challenges, but the fact remains, my Apollo stars, sitting smack dab below my ring fingers urge me to embrace the spotlight.  Still, I grapple with that. I mean, even writing this now I’m wondering, “will they think I’m just a diva?” “Are people going to grumble and toss out the paper because they think I’m simply out for myself?”

You see, here in America we have this weird love-hate thing with celebrities.  Celebrities are the most obvious incarnation of those with strong Apollonian energy, but certainly that energy isn’t dormant in those of us who are not on the cover of People or Us magazine.

We love celebrities because we love to imagine their lives – jetting off to the Italian coast whenever you need a break; wearing the most fascinating clothes, and my personal favorite – eating at some of the best, most innovative restaurants in the world!  We hate celebrities because we think they’re full of themselves or unaware of what it’s like to be “regular” or because we’re jealous and don’t know what to do with that energy.

It’s easier, for me at least, to snipe at a celebrity than to show up, fully and completely as myself and claim the spotlight.

That’s where it gets tricky, right?  Because the bigger you get in terms of visibility, the bigger the target is on your back.  It’s been my experience that my growth in the world and my business is in direct correlation to my ability to grow a thicker skin.  I try to remind myself when I receive random emails and Facebook jabs from complete strangers accusing me of being the devil or selfish or bossy, that I MUST be doing my work in the world.  Because if no one sees me, I can’t be changing lives for the better.  Still, the comments give me pause.

No matter who you are, if you have a powerful vision or message — it pulls you forward. When you are following that truth, you’re going to end up in the spotlight.  I think it’s a law of some kind – that your truth leads you to sharing and sharing leads you to those who want to learn from you.  So whether your spotlight is your 8th grade classroom, your basement, or People magazine, it’s going to find you.  Still, you have to be willing to be a target.

Not everything you do or say will be appreciated by everyone. This is true whether you’re hiding out or you’re claiming your truth. Being true to yourself takes extreme courage, which is why I see so many Mars stars (Warrior gifts!) in the hands of those with Apollonian energy – they have been given the gift of extreme courage – to help them when they want to hide out from their spotlight.

I think of the greatest leaders the world has known, the philosophers, the spiritual teachers, the creative geniuses and I look to their lives for inspiration.  It seems that none were without “enemies” and “nay sayers,” yet they continued to pursue the visions that were pulling them forward. Not always popular in their lifetimes, but always true to their calling.

My understanding is that our call to the spotlight doesn’t like to be ignored, it’s why as many kids with Apollo stars are the class clown, or the class klutz, or the troublemaker as are the lead in the play, the valedictorian or the Captain of the sports team.  Apollo will not be hidden, but you get to choose what you’re known for.

This month I encourage you to explore the ways you show up in the world, and the ways in which you hide out. With curiosity, not judgment, explore the ways you may have been judging others in the spotlight and see if there is a place where you fear that judgment from others.  Then create a space to be fearless and go forward with your truth.

Written by: Peggie Arvidson © 2014
Peggie Arvidson, the Pragmatic Palmist, is a contemporary thought leader whose message of joy & self-empowerment has drawn hundreds of people from around the world to have their hands read, and to attend her seminars and workshops.  Her mission is to help thousands of people world-wide love themselves without hesitation and live their heart’s desire. If you want to glimpse how your hard-wiring and truth shows up in your hands, visit her website (PeggieArvidson.com) and come to her classes and workshops throughout Northern Virginia.