“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.”― Carl Gustav Jung
Think of yourself like a beautiful piece of music. The essence of the melody - its heart and soul - represents your core self: your values, deepest needs, and authentic desires. But how that melody gets played - the instruments chosen, the tempo, the style - that's like your behaviors and expressed traits. Sometimes, the way we've learned to "play our song" might feel confined to a single instrument when we actually contain an entire orchestra.
Often, we develop ways of being, how we show up and express ourselves, that were meant to protect or adapt to our environment, especially in childhood. Like a rich melody restricted to one tempo because that's what seemed necessary at the time. These adaptations might have helped us survive or fit in, but they limit the full expression of who we are.
The beautiful truth is that growth isn't about changing who we are - it's about expanding the box of our self-expression to match the richness and complexity that was always there. Imagine discovering that your song doesn't have to be played in just one way. You're not changing the melody; you're allowing it to be expressed through more instruments, in varying tempos, with all its natural complexity and nuance.
What's particularly liberating about this understanding is how it honors both our core self and our capacity for growth. When we expand our ways of being in the world, we're not becoming someone different - we're actually allowing more of our authentic self to shine through. It's like opening more windows in a beautiful room, letting light stream in from different angles to illuminate what was always there.
Consider how this shows up in relationships: someone with a deep capacity for both strength and tenderness might have learned to express only the tough parts. The toughness isn't inauthentic - it's one true aspect of them - but it's just one part of their fuller symphony. By gradually expanding their range of expression, they're not changing who they are; they're allowing their complete self to exist.
This understanding opens up exciting possibilities for growth. We can honor our core self while expanding the ways we express it in the world. Maybe your natural leadership doesn't have to show up only as directing others - it might also flow through quiet inspiration or collaborative guidance. Perhaps your caring nature can express itself not just through giving, but also through setting loving boundaries or sharing vulnerable truths.
Think of it like expanding your emotional vocabulary. Just as learning new words helps us express our thoughts more precisely, developing new ways of being allows more of our true nature to shine through. With each new "word" we learn - each new trait we express, each new behaviour we try, each new communication skill we develop- our ability to share our full self becomes richer and more nuanced. The essence - our core self - remains beautifully constant, but our capacity to let all aspects of ourselves be seen grows ever more complete and true.
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