I’ve just returned from a trip to Southeast Asia. For almost 3 weeks I was in an environment that is very unlike the one in which I live.
I learned something for myself that I’ve always heard – that Vietnamese people are very friendly. It’s true! Everywhere I went I saw smiles, heard pleasant voices, found people willing to help me – even the security guard I asked for directions stepped away from his post momentarily to be sure I saw the right path.
I’m a friendly person; I go out into the world with an open countenance. I smile at children, at women, at men. I smile at people in elevators, on the street, in coffee bars – wherever I am I smile at strangers.
I have to admit, though, that sometimes I allow others’ reactions (truly my assumptions about others’ reactions) to affect the quality of those smiles. When I think the person is not so open to me my smile probably more closely resembles a grimace – and isn’t that the wrong message to send!
For the first few days I walked through Ho Chi Minh City not sure about how people would react to me, a stranger who looked very different from most everyone else. I was smiling my tight-lipped, grimacy smile. And then something happened that changed me – hopefully forever.
I saw a beautiful little girl about 2 years old toddling along the river path. Her mother was guiding her slowly, allowing her to find her footing. I was so captivated by her, and by the sweet patience expressed by her mother that I beamed down at her, then looked up to see her mother beaming at me. I don’t recall ever having such a strong smile returned to me by a stranger.
I was openly showing the love I felt she had for her child back to her, and she returned that love to me. Love was reflecting love over and over bouncing back and forth like two mirrors bouncing light.
From that moment forward I smiled – big, broad, toothy smiles that expressed how I was feeling, not how I thought others felt about me. And people smiled big, broad, toothy smiles back! Not all people, many people. And many was enough for me to understand that when I go out into the world in the fullness of who I really am my people will be able to find me. And they will let me know they’ve found me by responding back to me.
Smart Girl, I know you’ve heard the word authenticity, and the admonition to not hide your light under a bushel. What are you doing about it? Here’s the rock-solid truth – you can make all the lists you want, read all the books you want, go on all the diets you want and nothing will mean anything if you don’t get this –
Before you can feel love from another you must feel it for yourself.
Remember, the one you seek is seeking you – you’ve got to give him a way to find you!
I know you can do it! I also know you will feel so much better on the other side! And when you need help, I’m only a click away.
Do you desire more love in your life? You can have more love!
Do you want to have more fun dating? You can have more fun!
Don’t know where to start or how to get to the next rung of the relationship ladder? I would love to help! Please contact me at info@lenaehrenberg.com and we can schedule a free, 20 minute phone call so that you can tell me what you believe is holding you back and I can offer you at least one, specific, action you can take that will change your results.
What if today is the day you take an action that propels you forward into the rest of your happy, loving, romantic life!
Right now, take a moment and affirm for yourself:
I know myself and I don’t hide it!