There’s a story told by the Rev. Elizabeth Tarbox about when she was a child. Her stepmother gave her a lima bean. She and her sister both got a bean and were instructed to tuck it under damp blotting paper in a jar and set it in the sun.
Elizabeth got the idea that her bean would look really pretty and shiny if she polished it with furniture polish, so she shined up her lima bean and tucked it into her jar.
After a couple of days in their respective jars, her sister’s bean had put forth a little white shoot, but Elizabeth’s bean just sat there being pretty. In a few more days, her sister’s bean was sprouting green and soon was ready to plant! Meanwhile, Elizabeth’s polished bean shriveled up and had to be tossed out.
She relates this incident with our need to look good on the outside. To shine ourselves up. But we don’t have to be shiny. We just need to be ourselves. And soak in the light of our connection with the Divine / our Source. Then our shoots will emerge and grow and take root.
Do you have a person, a community, a safe space where you can be fully seen and heard? I hope so – because these spaces and people are precious opportunities for love and acceptance. There are many people who DON’T have a place to fully express themselves, and instead put more energy into polishing the exterior than tending the interior.
When was the last time you allowed someone to see your unvarnished self?
If something is on your mind, if you are craving a place to be seen and heard, please reach out to me. You are deserving of full expression.
Let’s keep the conversation going
When was the last time you allowed someone to see your unvarnished self? Do you find it easy to be fully yourself in any situation? What tips do you have for showing up authentically? Share in the comments – I’d love to hear!
About Manda
Manda Stack is an intuitive coach and energy clearing specialist who helps women navigate powerful life transitions with clarity and courage. Having guided over 500 people through life’s biggest changes, she brings a deeply intuitive, grounded approach that empowers women to reconnect with their inner truth and move forward with confidence, freedom, and purpose. Click here for more information.
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