Begin

You may ask yourself, "Who am I to be audacious? Who am I to think I'm special?"

Who are you not to be?  Who are you not to think so?

You are a child of God, the Universe, whatever you want to call a higher power because you don't have to use the words they gave you. Use the vocabulary that works for you.

You are an owner of the sun and the moon. You share the planet with everyone else here.

• Why would they be more special than you?

• Why would they shine more than you?

• Why would your glow be lesser?

Because you let it be. Stop that.

Stand up. Be who you are.

Gloriously, incredibly, responsibly and (sometimes) irresponsibly. Fully truly yourself. Own all that is within you – the light and the dark and the wonderfully inexplicable goofiness of your own being.

It will be the most exciting and the most frightening moment of your life. And you will live through it.

Because you will not wait another moment, another millisecond, another breath to be you.

You are starting now. Inhale. Begin.

And when you hear them say, "Who does she think she is?" you will not have to answer. You will recognize the sound of your own arrival, and your smile will light the last dark corners within you, at least for a moment. And that will be enough to keep you going.