Permission to BE YOU (absolutely and completely)!!!!!

Oh man, if I could bottle what it was like to be unapologetically yourself, I would!!!!! It is something that I feel so strongly about!!! The world becomes better, bolder and brighter when we allow ourselves to be all God created us to be!! Please join me on this journey of learning about yourself, your passions, your dreams and your calling! It is so worth it and will position you to have a greater, and far more effective, impact on the world around you.

Be your BEAUTIFUL, BOLD, FIERCE, EXTRA and INCREDIBLE self, join me ;) !!!!! It's world changing!!! Picture by Utako Wen <3

It breaks my heart when I see many examples of how the culture that we live in is conditioning us to not be ourselves, but to merely fit in so as not to rock the boat. How can this be the way the world works!? Surely in the societies and communities we are a part of, people must be encouraged to thrive and to shine brightly?! Unfortunately, this is not the common theme!!

To the young performer who dreams of an artistic and creative lifestyle but is told that they won’t make money – I salute you and say you WILL find a way. Please don’t give up on your passions!!! The world needs the art that you will make.

To the young woman who is told by the media, and men who don’t understand the complete and utter gift that she is, that she is too fat – I say your body is an exquisite creation of God! Enjoy this gorgeous body of yours and the movement it enables you to do each day.

To the young man who is told that he has to be tough and strong and that this nature can only be manifested by physically hurting others or objectifying women – I say I am so sorry the enemy lied to you. You are so much more than this, and you need to know that being sensitive, and caring about the wellbeing of others, is not a sign of weakness! It is a complete sign of STRENGTH!

To the woman who is told she can’t make it in a corporate ‘man’s’ world – I say I am so sorry! It’s a lie!! Follow your passion and do what God has called you to do, and he will make a way. Your gender does not exclude you from your calling and God created you because the world desperately needs what you have to offer.

This song says it... We need 'square pegs' in this world to make change and to bring LIFE and LIGHT!!!!!

There are so many kinds of life experiences that I want to speak to, but I need to say this last one for now! To all the men and women who have been told you are ‘too much’, of anything - too emotional, too feminine, too masculine, too dramatic, too weak, too creative, too laidback, too sensitive, too excited, or absolutely anything – I say I am sooo sorry on behalf of the entire world! This is such a common lie of the enemy, that can be communicated through all different avenues. The enemy wants us to think that the greatest gifts God has given us are a flaw in ourselves, when they are actually our greatest strengths!!! I sustained a wound for a large portion of my formative years from being labelled a ‘drama queen’ and therefore too emotional! I started to believe the lie that I was a danger to the people around me, and I was flawed for feeling so deeply. It was only after a period of time outside of dynamics that were holding me in a place of captivity, and subsequently coming to understand my emotions and that if I didn’t let them consume me I could turn them into a SUPER POWER and a weapon to be used against the enemy in spiritual warfare, that I was set FREE! That’s what I want so much for you, dear ones! My prayer is that what the world tries to tell you you have too much of will become the very super power that you use to transform the world around you!

It is extremely difficult to navigate this world and there are so many threads that determine the sense of worth and value we have for ourselves and how we become who we are, that I believe that we can all do more to encourage each other to be our authentic selves! Take some time to think about the world- changing people in your life who are authentically themselves and therefore impact the world for the better, then be inspired by them!!!

God offers us a way to be completely ourselves, despite what the world says! The story of Esther in the bible sees a woman, Esther, who is encouraged by God to seek an audience with the king whose harem she is a part of (despite it being potentially punishable by death) in order to save her people group who were slaves in his country. She was encouraged by God to be all he created her to be, despite the stakes being very high for her if she did so. Imagine how we could change the world if we did the same!

The path to expansive dreaming is paved by an acceptance of self, and an embracing of our own unique personality. Only then can we dream to the fullest, and understand the specific impact we can have on this world!

I urge you to think long and deeply about the person that you are! Take time on your own in order to understand yourself and your thoughts and responses as you ride the rollercoaster of life. When you truly understand who God created you to be - you will continue to be refined by him, but there will be an authentic throughline in your personhood that will effect all areas of your life, and will make your relationships with people and the world so much better! Be the person that people feel at ‘home’ with, as they feel allowed to be themselves because they see you being your true self! I am praying for you and cheering you on!!

Love Mahalia xxx ☺

I'm Mahalia by the way. I love all things pink and sparkly, as well as Disney, musical theatre, Broadway, princesses, Jesus, fashion, summer fruit, tea, my family, my friends, being inspired, dreaming BIG and living and loving so LOUD and LARGE! Will you join me in being the woman God created you to be?