Are You Ready to Shine?

When I was younger I had dreams 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!

Many years later and I’m still striving for that light.  I’m a bit more pragmatic and use 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. The challenge is the constant fear that whatever I’m doing to be seen is going to be my downfall! “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?” That’s just a smattering of the self-talk that can keep me from moving forward.

We have this 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 in the pages of People 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 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 can be easier to snipe at a celebrity than to show up, fully and completely and claim the spotlight.

That’s where it gets tricky. 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 remind myself when I receive random emails and Facebook jabs from complete strangers 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. That’s the double-edged sword of using your inner Apollonian – you’re going to be seen and some people just simply are not going to like it.

No matter who you are you have the capacity to be pulled forward by your vision of creating a better world. When you follow that truth, you’re going to end up in the spotlight.  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.

You can be inspired by those you consider to be great leaders. The philosophers, the spiritual teachers, the creative geniuses.  None were universally loved and understood during their lifetimes yet they continued to pursue the visions that were pulling them forward.

The 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.