Don’t Dim Your Light
One of the things you might have heard me say if you’ve been around this tribe for a while now is “Don’t Dim Your Light.”
This is a subject that’s very important to me because it’s something I’ve lived with and, in many cases, struggled with for years.
You see for a long time I would walk into a room (whether it was a class in school, a track meet, a family gathering, and later business meetings) and measure the room. Then, I’d recalibrate myself to make sure I didn’t OUTSHINE or OUT ENERGIZE the room.
Raise your hand if you’ve experienced this and give me a #YANA (you are not alone)! I see those hands waving high in the air all the way from the Bahamas!
I was AFRAID to show up and be 100% Lisa. I was AFRAID to play full out and be unapologetically me. I didn’t want to stand out in the room. I just wanted to be ACCEPTED. I wanted to be accepted and fit in MORE than I wanted to do me.
When I used to go to family functions, I would calibrate my energy based on my family members. When I would go to meetings, I’d calibrate my energy and adjust my light—I’d turn it down based on who else was in the room.
Have you been there? Are you there now?
Here’s what I know for sure!
- You are an unrepeatable miracle.
- No one on this planet can do you. My Reverend Dr. Michael Beckwith said at my summit, “If you don’t do YOU, you won’t be done.” That was delicious!
- When you step into a space and tone down your brilliance, beauty and energy, you are not doing ANYONE any favors and you are denying others the opportunity to be inspired by you.
Here’s My Challenge to You:
I challenge and charge you to step into that next room (whether it’s your home, your business, a virtual room online or in zoom, a Facebook live, etc.) and give the world the best version of you.
Because when you let your light shine, it becomes contagious and can lighten up what could have been a dark moment for someone else. Others need you to shine your light so that they can pick up a glimmer of who they can become…so they can see a little better version of themselves in your light.
I challenge you to let the room meet your greatness and to show up as a giant and in your full genius. Not from an ego perspective or to overshadow anyone else or to dominate, but to inspire those in your presence to be a better woman or man, simply because it feels good to be in your presence.
I invite you to go to bed each night and be able to say, “Today, I played full out. I gave it my all. I didn’t hold back any of my greatness. I let it all be seen and shown and heard. Today I shared my knowledge and my unique and unrepeatable miracle with the world.”
I’m not asking you to be perfect. I’m asking you to share your light and be willing to allow us to celebrate your light with you.
It took me a long time to be willing to share the real me and not try to hide the parts that I didn’t think anyone would like or hold back the parts that I didn’t think anyone would embrace. But now I’m able to say, “This is me…quirky, energetic, dysfunctional, silly, brilliant, thought-provoking, change agent, spiritual, black, feminine, confident…but also vulnerable, some days not so confident, confused, and not so powerful.
Are you willing and ready to accept this challenge?
Remember, this show is not a monologue. It’s a dialogue of delicious, dynamic conversations. I’d love to hear from you. What was the biggest takeaway or #AHA from this particular episode? Did you have a #BOL (breakthrough out loud)? What did you need to hear? Please share your comments with me below as I love to read them.
This is your home. We are your tribe, and I am your sister. And when I say that I believe in you, and I love you, it’s because I truly do.
Your Sister in Prosperity and Possibility,
I needed this!
Great message
Thank you Lisa I can resonate with you
This is helpful to me as I still like sneaking into places ; especially those with people I consider VIP or intimating .
YANA.
Thank you Lisa & love you! Once again your message came to me in correct timing.
Heidi
thanks
Good Stuff, thought stimulating!
Hey Lisa,
Love you girl…..If you don’t do YOU…..YOU won’t be done!!!!
Thank you I needed this word. Again and again I did that to myself and had been doing that to myself for 57 years, so I am reaching for my watts to see my uniqueness God made me to be Thank you sister from another mother..
Have been there and probably still doing it subconsciously. I am going to start doing me.
I love this message. Learning slowly how to share, being comfortable in my own skin
Lisa this is so me! I always held parts of me back. I still do at times. Usually I’ve been known for full, positive energy when I come into a room. Lots of fun and Humor. But Grace and love too, I hope. But I struggle with the darker parts – my shadow self. I never want to be doom and gloom. And as someone that also suffers clinical depression and anxiety and a lot of physical health problems now, this can prove difficult. And In The past I have hidden away. Until I feel ‘me’ again for my friends. Afraid they see me as negative and hard to be around. But as time has gone on that’s a lonely place to be. I think it’s because those ‘friends’ never wanted the darker side, really. But there are plenty more who did and do! And even writing this I see where my problem has been. I’m gonna do ‘me’! All of me. To the true people in my life. And even if that’s not such high energy right now, they still want me! All of me. Which I need to celebrate!!! Because I’m blessed with so many incredible humans in my life. And I’ve not shared enough with them, even though they’ve tried to be there for me. So they shall have it. From now on. All of me. Thank you Lisa for this BOL. Sending all my love and light TO YOU ✨❤️
Sooooo, good to hear another personage saying this out aloud!! I enjoy this energy movement, not outrageous, an expression of movement of energy. Feel the love.
I’ve needed all of this but Kate, your comment too is so lovely. I can be raw and feel the darkness TOGETHER and not alone but with loved ones and we’ll help each other see the light in the dark too.
I just turned 20 and I have a strong presence on everyone I come across so I had a break through when you stated fixing your energy to match the room so you won’t outshine anyone. I definitely had to do that a lot before but now I started to be myself and I’ve learned that I am me ! Thank you for reassuring !
Ggggiiiirrrrrllll I needed that as a Retail Manager for years that was my saying to adjusted yourself to your audience . You were on the money , I was dumbing myself down to fit in , your speech was powerful thank you so much .
Hi Lisa
This is what I needed to hear have been dimming my light for so long a d hidden behind the fact that I am just an average black, divorced, single mom that just lives for her kids. I know I am more than that. Thank you for the reminder.
Love
N
November 22, 2020 Hello Beautiful woman of God! Ms. Lisa ! Not enough room to tell you how grateful, thankful to God for some one like. I struggle with all of it, never can be me. People always afraid of my gifts, it’s made me turn them down to fit in. I don’t want to do this anymore, need to be me. I’m watching! How to open up, like you. Blessings!
You always give me what I need to hear. You make me think back to when & why I gave up my true self. I am going to work on living out loud.
Thanks I needed this
Thank you Lisa! Thank you for inspiring freedom and a willingness to be unapologetically ME! My struggle has been over analyzing myself! I critique myself all the time and think a lot about how to become a better version of who I am. My #AHA moment happened when you listed some of your personality traits. You reminded me that I can be both brilliant and confused and it all be okay! The pandemic has helped me realize, that life is short and our time should not be taken for granted. I need to practice shaking off my nerves, my insecurities and my perfectionism and allowing myself to simply be! The good, the shy and the creative! So, #YANA and thank you again.
,Feels good to be in your presence. ‘ was a wonderful sentence. Also’ We can celebrate every parts of you.’ was powerful. I will use that in my prayer. I will be grateful for being this version of me what you discribed, so it will start to exist in my energy field through my gratitude first. Also I am so fed up with acceptance, everybody wants to be celebrated, not just accepted. I am glad you used powerful words.
Yes YES! Thank you Lisa…. so so much… every word you speak is powerful and true and inspiring. You have been a voice of reason and motivation and love for me and I continue to look to you for the wisdom I need to hear. I have an amazing story…I witnessed my dad try to murder my mom when I was 9 years old and I have overcome many obstacles and addictions to be where I am today…and I need the courage to step out and meet the world…to show people if I can do these things so can you! THANK YOU ! I love you!!!
Thank you for the challenge, I just needed to hear this!
Lisa! Thank you so much for the encouragement. I needed to hear that. I’ve been downplaying myself for a while for different reasons, but I feel that I am finally coming into my own and becoming comfortable with who I am. It’s a process that I must admit is a little fearful sometimes, but I’m determined to answer fear with faith and keep moving forward.
Renewing my broken spirit!
Thanks for the reminder.
good morning Lise .your life story is my life story most everything you fell you went through about yourself is me too but I didn’t any support like you did grow up mother works all the time .sister and brother was jealous of me. people friends all my life. even as a grown man even, people even in the church. I always know it was something special about me ever wear I go or enter a room ever one looks at me even at a story or a church I always chose a wrong friend or wrong relatership satan try fell me all my life strange all way come up to me said your special God got a plan in your said you going be peacher. God had his light shine even I didn’t know it. now my light shines brightly that before for GOD glory walk more in obey. I try to run from it cause I didn’t want to be different I want to fix in. but God wouldn’t let me have people reject me cause I was running from .him Lise my background is not like your I got just a high school diploma you got a college degree with C average in school. years back God told me to write a book I told him or you crazy me writing a book to myself you know he hears me cause he said the way you. one I don’t like writing I don’t like read he said trust me I sent you help and teaching everything you need to know. now Lisa years by went by I love writing you see LISA he have me pract on Facebook said what said the Lord with bad broker English also bad spelling. All my life as a truck drive done physical work .now God have me to retried for I can focus on writing his books LISA You notice it an (S) on the book when he told as first, a book thinks just one .now he talks about more than one yes I love it cause before I retried he said me changer career now just writing his book for can finish his mission to bee his light to shine in these last days dark, eve, wick on earth. when people see me they will see his light fell his present in me to give them hope get back there faith and come back to him in repent also faithful. you see Lisa God is a sprite he needs a body to us for his glory on earth like you and me. Lise, I also going through God’s process mental cause I always did physical work. didn’t have to work my mind too much. writing a book is to use my mind more. for can come more intelligent read, writing, spelling, talk on a college level when I speak as a KING he calls me to be like DAVIS he was not born into a royal family to become a king. everything I learn in school I learn back over. also sent people in my life for I can trust to like published cause a lot of people with sheet clothes. will try to cheat me out of my money. Lisa, I go into a whole new world
Lisa, please resent the comment back to me I cant kinda way to save this for my book as I was writing to you I also writing my book to you. I learn more about technology .how screenshot all the thing I post on Facebook I still learn about comput God also get me ready mental were God get ready to take me it going blow me away even my enemy was I came from to where I end up at like a cinderella to bit all odds start the trek but it going be God glory flaver his miracle supernatural power you can tell I love to writing now I don’t want to stop keep writing to got to go yes LISA he is using you for my life for his glory
I appreciate these words of wisdom,this is confirmation for me. I’m about to have my first interview and my fear was up the roof. By hearing this gives me the courage to press on and let my light shine. Thank you.
Thanks for sharing. Sometimes it really feels safe fitting in and not standing out. That is however not being your best. I am inspired to see that giving my all is a gift to those in community for together we co-create our desired reality. Thank you.
Lisa you are not alone
Thanks, Lisa!! This is so me. I will admit that I would purposely say or do things to dim my light – such an insult to my creator. No more!! Let the recalibration to the full version begin… Great message, Lisa.
As Marianne Williamson’s in her poem “Our Deepest Fear” It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
This resonates with me!
Thank you. I love BOL! I have more confidence to be me in the room as soon as I walk in and Lifting up others as I do!
Paula
my breakthrough, is to stop shrinking my light so others around me won’t feel insecure, but instead let my light shine bright. I am dynamic and a unrepeatable miracle. Lisa thank you for sharing you time and presence .
Thank you for reminding me of my uniqueness. And that there is GREATNESS IN ME! My STRONGEST GIFT IS MY MOUTH and I have alot to share and offer others.
Lisa,
This is superb & highly inspiring!
Thank you very much!
Wishing you the very best in life.
KS
This resonates with me!
I’m blessed the day I become part of this journey. Lisa, you have changed my life from fearful to a dauntless individual.
You breath in hope unto me and now I realize that I have no option but to do me and to play full out. Lisa, I’m ready to tap the 100 in me because I always have this voice YANA ring inside of me.
Thank you
I honor and salute you Queen Lisa as you guide us All to a Higher Being
Lisa, firstly bless you, and thank you. I have embarked on the journey of taking back my life – on a mission to reset my mindset via uncovering and filtering out all that stuff which has been keeping me stuck/ in my story, my chaos, my fear for decades – and begin to dig even deeper to do the work to heal physically and emotionally.
In this episode ‘Don’t Dim Your Light’…… being accepted and fitting in……#BOL I have been toning me down, wearing a mask, and created a whole different persona in public….because of the fear/consequence of being me. I know it’s time to feel the fear and do it anyway !! Step into action – create a new reality for me – start to shine, share me – just be me.
YANA… Your always inspiring Lisa. What a message from you..my love and gratitude for bringing out best in me.
Thanks Lisa you are a blessing to me
Keep doing the good work,we love you
Wow Lisa
Alot of what you were saying felt like you were talking about me. Always having to try and fit in to other peoples world instead of being mine.. I didnt always fit in.. I needed to hear this so thank you for sharing and YANA x
YANA, this is exactly how I feel when I walk into a room. This made me see that I am enough, all of me. Thank you so much!
Hi Lisa, this was really amazing and it is coming to me just at the nick of time. So I have a fair skin color and a beautiful face this in itself should make me feel special or something but you know what I always feel the opposite especially in gatherings, I would prefer to be quite and not air out my opinion because of the fear of being judged, feeling unacceptable, treated like someone with just a fine face and having nothing up there; I would rather Dim my Light and not give in all.
I am really excited about this video, and yeaaaaaaa this is me practicing giving in my 100%, expressing myself, being me, being unapologetic about it and remembering that only me can do me.
Cheers
Powerful message.Thank you Lisa. Challenge accepted #YANA
Thank you Lisa for remind me this message.
“If you don’t do you, you won’t be done.”
BOL YANA
This is the kick i so much needed! I need to shine my light everywhere and not recalibrate according to the group or crowd.
Thank you Lisa.
Ruth, thank you – I really liked what you said, (reiterating what Lisa talks about) – “I need to shine my light everywhere and not recalibrate according to the group or crowd”. Shine my light Yes, YES….and even more so ‘not recalibrating according to the group’ !
Bless you
Thank you Lisa… This is what I needed…
yah this is so me
Hello tribe!
This message definitely resonated with me as well. Yes YES!
I grew up in a home and community that constantly made me feel small for playing big. Made me feel like I wasn’t enough when I gave so much of myself. At this point in my life, I am broken and confused because I can’t remember when I decided that they were right and gave up on myself. I have nothing and feel like a nobody and I believe this makes them comfortable. I, however, am miserable and I feel so toxic because I’m bitter that I didn’t allow my opinion of me to stand taller than theirs.
This video is just confirmation that I need to ACT on who I believe myself to be. Take ownership of my mistakes and my progress. Allow myself to simply be and get back to the girl I was at 15: straight A student, author, journalist, actress, singer, songwriter, advocate, and all around inspiration for my community. They may have felt intimidated but I wasn’t being me to trump them. I was doing me to show just how full a concrete rose can bloom. Can’t wait to feel alive again.
Thanks Lisa!
-V
Thank you, Lisa!
I lived for so long in the shadow of me to keep others from being uncomfortable, that I almost forgot that ‘I am” a light.
I share 100% your point of view Lisa we must don’t dim ours light. Also, we need embrace ourselves the way that we are!
Love too sister
Amen that make so much sense,with revelation, may God bless you this day.
Lisa,
You’re a true inspiration! Your story has given me hope. I truly aspire to exude the level of confidence that comes through when you speak. It would be a dream come true to have you as a mentor!
Thank you for these reminders and for shining your light and inspiring me to shine mine fully. I receive all of it.
Hi Lisa! Thank you my sister. You are not alone! Today I needed to hear this message too. I connected to every single word you said. YES YES that’s me. That is my story too.
To live for the acceptance of others almost all my life I have done.
I have always been creative, beautiful, dynamic person. Being different and loving it. To let my light shine. I have been trying to dim it, to blend, not stand out. While being careful no to let my ego come in the way. I have so for much potential, talent and gift. I feel my life is just starting but I feel I am standing alone most of the time. I feel misunderstood. Looking for a tribe, for my tribe. Thank you for your presence.
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine! Let it shine Let it shine!
Step into my greatness!..Yeah
YANA!!!!!! This is SO INSPIRING
NEED TO WORK ON MYSELF AND LEARN TO ME ME ME AND ME ALONE
Lisa, your light is so bright I couldn’t pass you by.
Hey Lisa, what an encouraging message! I am just coming in to who I am, shedding the old programming and I just turned 70! I feel better than I have ever felt in my entire life. I love me and I am now practicing being the ME that I was meant to be. I always felt small, and now, every day that I wake up, I am excited to practice who I really am – strong, BIG presence, no more being insignificant but being the unique me that no one else can be but me! I take my rightful place in this universe and this message is timely, so timely. Thank you.
I could say that sometimes I have felt very powerful and others I have felt invisible. I guess we are a full package, good and bad, and that makes each one of us unique! Thank you Lisa
Thank you my Sister in GREATNESS!!! this was truly transformational for me.⚘⚘⚘
This was a wonderful topic that pushes me to be comfortable with who I was created to be in life. This year has been a year of awakening for me. I release a of past thoughts that focus on my failures, doubts, and fears. These holds stop me from accepting who I’m and as I walked in my own shoes. This year self reflection allowed me to accept that I’m a intelligent social butterfly that attracts people from a walks of life. I’ve gained acceptance that I am an expert in the field of mental health and I am a true advocate for people’s ability to have access in truly becoming self- sufficient in life. Thus, I’ve decided to leave my current job of six years as I venture out on my own in hopes of speaking my truth as I form a safe holistic environment for recovery. Therefore, as I listened to this message my spirit leaped with joy as I heard you say the quote by Reverend Dr. Michael Beckwith and that is “If I don’t do me, then it won’t be done. That’s what I needed to hear at this moment. So, many have shown their true colors during my transition phase of my life even laughing at my jesters of owning my own company friends have falsely accused me of being arrogant and self- center, but despite it all with little hope left I push ahead. Straight head steady making moves as I rewrite the vision. Is not easy for the first in 39 years I realize that it’s ok to me who God created me to be and that I didn’t have to apologize for being me or rather downplaying my person for fear of offending others. So, yes when I walk into my next room I will smile and breathe then do me as I embrace who others are as well. Truth and understanding is key.
Miss Lisa
I found this post beyond inspirational. You don’t know how many times I have allowed other people to make me feel like something was wrong with me; how I look, how I’m dressed, how I talk, how I act and so on….. What we all forget is that none of us is perfect. ” We need to learn, to allow people to be who they are & not what we want them to be.”
Thank you again for reminding us it’s okay to be me !!!!
WOW! YANA YANA YANA
Definitely needed to hear this today!! Such divine timing! Thank you Lisa!!
I needed to hear this so much I watched it 3 times!! Wow!
BOL: Be brilliant AND confused!
YANA in every way!
It was good to hear this today. Thank you to remind me for being me. You’re absolutely inspirational ❤️
Yana Lisa! Your conversation today is beyond inspiration, I cried, so many times, I dimmed the light not to stand out too much. You are awesome!
This was an entire Sunday Morning Word. Thank you. At 50, I’m a minister, and I survived the Crack epidemic in Brooklyn, without dating a drug dealer or becoming addicted. As a church goer & East New Yorker, playing the background and being low key is a survival tactic. Be flashy, causing attention, being extra will attract the wrong attention. People come to church to see God, not us. I’m used to working behind the scenes. I work so much and so hard behind the spotlight, that being in the spotlight will just add more work. The more you are seen, the more people want you to shine = more work. At least that’s been what it feels like. But it’s my time, time to let all the different parts of me, have a voice. It’s time to take center stage in my own life. I am responsible for letting my own light shine. Thank you.
Thank you Lisa. I really needed to hear this. I’m going to embrace all of me. Thanks for giving a clear picture of what that means.
Lisa – I feel so welcomed!! I’m in Year of Miracles and this is the first time I’ve come across you – SO what I needed to hear and start to try to believe! Really looking forward spending time with you and everyone here
I get so tired of thinking I have to minimize myself to make others accept me…just for who I am. It’s a perspective that needs guidance.
Thank you for helping me see LIGHT in a whole new way!
Good morning