Shine Your Light!

From glistening candles and bedazzled holiday attire to strings of festive bulbs, lights define the holiday season. Align your thoughts and actions with this wonderful theme and shine your light to create joy, peace, and brightness this season.

Warmly,

Melanie Ott

Inspirational Thoughts

“Know what sparks the light in you. Use that light to illuminate the world.” ~ Oprah

“Cast off the works of darkness and put on an armour of light.” ~ Romans 13:12

Illuminate Your World By Shining Your Light

It always amazes me what happens when you decide to shine your light on something. Once I chose to focus on this idea for my holiday newsletter, I started seeing themes of light and brightness everywhere. The next day I picked up a magazine with an article entitled, “This Fall’s Fashion is All About the Sparkle.” The following week, I saw an advertisement for makeup with the tag line, “Turn on your inner light. Reveal your outer glow!” Clearly, we all want to shine!

So — How Do You Shine?

Pope Francis calls on each of us to be “points of light.” You don’t have to be a saint to do so; you just need to be on the lookout for opportunities to be a light in someone’s life. Start by cultivating positive relationships. Consider other people’s needs and help meet them. Be patient. Encourage before you criticize. Give others the benefit of the doubt. And remember the golden rule: Treat others as you would like to be treated.

The idea that light is life-giving is nothing new to the world of science. The Heliotropic Effect refers to the phenomenon that every living system tends to lean toward light and away from darkness. People are like that, too; once you start shining your light, you’ll find others are instinctively drawn to you!

Don’t Fear the Darkness

Finally, keep in mind the strength and courage you can cultivate from your own light. With the darkness that seems to be so prevalent in the world today, it is more important than  ever that each of us shines our light brightly. Francis Bacon said, “In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.” The darker the circumstances, the more brightly your light will shine!

Tips to Shine Your Light

Here are some tips to keep your flame shining brightly inside & out this holiday season:

• Watch your words. Growing up my mother taught me, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” The brightest light can be dulled by harsh words or a  flippant remark … so be intentional and kind in what you say and how you say it.
• Smile! The world just looks better when you are smiling — and it’s one of the quickest ways to shine your light on those around you. Smiling makes you more attractive, lifts your mood, increases your confidence, and magnetically attracts others to you.
• Focus on the light. Your brain acts like a TV remote control, honing in on whatever “channel” you choose, screening out everything else. Instead of focusing on the downside of the holidays, tell your brain to lighten up. Focus your mind on all that’s light, bright, and sparkling in the world.
• Seek out others who create light. The weight of relationships can feel heavier than usual around the holidays. Bring lightness to your life by making time for relationships that bring you joy. Schedule a romantic holiday date … have coffee “virtually” with a distant relative … or seek out a friend who makes you laugh.

At Leap Forward Coaching our process will help you shine your light — creating an illuminated world that beautifully reflects the light and joy you hold within.