Shine

You
were
born
to
shine

shimmer
God’s delight

dance joy
into this
world
begging to
be nourished
and held
with
gentleness.

So,
dear heart,
be bold and
embody
what
you
have been
born to
do.

Now
is
the
time.

For the
world
longs to
dance
in the
soft light
of your soul
singing
poetry
to Me.

Lisa A. McCrohan, © 2014

Nine years ago I realllllllly wanted an actual barn.  I wanted to live out in the country and live in community with like-hearted souls. I wanted a delight-filled space where I could offer healing retreats and workshops.  And I wanted to share my soulful writings with the world  But — there were lots of “buts.”  I called my mom.  I was disheartened.  My dream didn’t seem like it could come to fruition.

She said, “Who could you invite over RIGHT NOW, in your cozy, lovely home, and dance with, lead them into stillness and meditate together?  Lisa, push aside the couch, create an altar, light a candle, and put out some nourishing treats. And dance.”

And so I did.  That day I called over a small group of friends.  We had a potluck.  I led friends in dancing and meditation. It was exhilarating and soul-nourishing.  And over the years, I have come to realize that the Barefoot Barn is soooo much more than a place.  It is the essence of how I want to live and how I want to nourish this world.  I’ve come to realize that me & my family ARE the Barefoot Barn and any soulful person who we love, nourish, and gather with is the Barefoot Barn.  It’s in my heart, how I sit with clients, how I write, and the love I have for inspiring this world.  NOTHING is lacking.  My dream is already RIGHT HERE in this moment.

My mom was right. Every time I’d call her and tell her about a dream I have and then jump into how frustrated I was because it can’t happen right now and I’d come up with all these excuses…she’d say,

“How can you begin it right now in your very next breath?

How can you embody it right when we get off the phone?”

And always, there was light, hope, and possibility when I practice “begin it right now.”  I always feel my light shining brighter.  And there is a peace within me as I let that light shine!

Dear Ones,

You were born to shine.

You were born to shimmer, dance, be filled with joy, and follow that still voice within you that always, always prompts you toward goodness and wholeness.

Sometimes that can seem quite frightening as it calls you into the unknown.  But that voice knows your path.  It knows how you are to evolve and what you are to offer this world.

Now is the time to listen to that voice.  Not tomorrow.  Not when everything is “just perfect” – you have “enough” money, you have “enough” confidence, and you have “enough” of a plan.

What do you want more than anything?  What calls to you in the middle of the night, at those quiet moments when you are actually in the car or on a walk by yourself?

Whatever it is, begin it in this moment.  Be it.  Embody it in this very moment.

You don’t have to quit your job, sell the house, or move to another country.  That might happen some day.  That might be what your soul is calling you to.  BUT the IMPORTANT point is this:

Begin WHATEVER it is that you so deeply desire and start RIGHT NOW in your very next breath…and begin to weave it into your everyday life.

***Dear Friends, Here’s a truth we can all live by…

We can ALWAYS begin to embody our dreams in this very moment.  There is always one step we can take to LIVE IT in this moment.

And when we dare to take that one step and live our dreams in this moment, we honor the “Holy YES!” rising up from within us.  Our frustration begins to dissipate.  And in acting so boldly, we honor what we have been born to do on this earth.  And we shine.

Each of us was born to shine.  And it begins right here, in this very moment.

Here are some resources to help you shine on:

Soulful one, want to shine?  Lost some luster?  Want to figure out what that small, still voice within you is prompting you to be about?  This is what I LOOOOVE to do!  Let me nourish and accompany you.

~  Book a Coaching session with me.

~  Check out Tara Brach’s podcasts to inspire you to pause.

~  Check out Elizabeth Lorayne’s beautiful Haiku poetry to totally spark your creativity.