This Little Light of Mine: Let Yourself Shine

Listen

Reflection Snapshot

Theme: Dimming versus shining, and the cost of folding ourselves to belong
Intention: To invite honest awareness around where we have muted our presence and to gently reclaim our right to shine fully

This reflection moves from a familiar childhood song into a deeper realization about authenticity, visibility, and belonging. It explores how light reveals truth, not just in others but within ourselves. The invitation is not to shine perfectly, but to shine honestly, even while still healing and learning. This is a reminder that your presence is intentional and needed exactly as it is.

Reflecting …

When a Song Becomes a Declaration

What once felt like a simple, joyful hymn begins to sound different as we grow. “This little light of mine” stops being background music and becomes a statement of intention. It is no longer about singing, but about choosing not to hold back. Choosing not to stay silent. Choosing to show up as your whole self, even when the room may not be ready for your energy.

Letting your light shine is not about attention or approval. It is about honoring who you are beneath the layers. It is a conscious commitment to presence, not performance.

The Habit of Dimming

Light is not always welcomed, not because it is wrong, but because it reveals what has been avoided. Insecurities. Unresolved stories. Truths waiting to be seen. Sometimes the resistance we feel is not external at all. It is internal.

Over time, being told we are too much or not enough teaches us to dial ourselves down. We quiet parts of who we are to feel safe, to protect what is still unfolding. Eventually, we may find ourselves in spaces that no longer fit, not because we have outgrown them, but because we have been folding ourselves to remain.

The pause comes when we ask whether we would even recognize ourselves if we stopped masking.

Practices

Light Inventory

• What it is: A gentle check-in to identify where you may be dimming your presence.
• How to try it: Reflect on recent spaces or relationships and ask yourself where you softened your voice, muted your instincts, or withheld your truth to keep the peace.

Unfiltered Presence

• What it is: Allowing yourself to show up without polishing or proving.
• How to try it: Choose one interaction this week where you speak honestly, create freely, or simply exist without adjusting yourself for comfort or approval.

Key Takeaways

• Your light was never meant to be conditional on success, status, or perfection.
• Dimming often begins as protection, but it does not have to remain your default.
• Even the smallest light holds immense power and influence.

Rise Into Action

Beneath the Story: The belief that visibility must be earned or justified can quietly shape how much of ourselves we allow to be seen.

Gentle reflection prompt:

Where have I been dimming my light to make others feel at ease?

Until next time, keep listening for the higher note.

Say.

Be.

And it is.