Shine on, sister!
I wasn’t even going to write a blog today, but something lit a fire in me to do so.
I was playing doubles this morning with three women who love to have fun on the court. Friends who enjoy their Saturday mornings together.
Next to us was a court of men playing doubles. After one of my outbursts, all in good spirit, a man on that court looked at me with a disapproving stare, “Please. Please. Please.”
Now I admit, I and others can be loud, but that’s just who we are. We don’t prolong groans are yell at each other for line calls. And a couple of the men on the adjacent court have even told us how much they love playing next to us, exactly because we have so much fun.
After the “please” incident, our energy just dropped for the next few points. We wilted, and the verve became a whisper of times past.
Well, we switched ends, and at the bench, we said it aloud to not allow anyone dim our light. Laughter and joyousness again ensued.
It reminded me how easily someone’s energy can affect our own. If we aren’t conscious of our own energy and what we bring into this world, it can be so easy to accommodate another’s energy, even if it doesn’t make us feel good.
Think about whose energy you have tolerated. You don’t feel good around them. You might not even realize it, because it’s been status quo for so long.
Could it be an old friend who just can’t be happy for your successes? Could it be a family member who feels like they’re protecting you, but wants to keep you small in doing so?
Awareness is key. How do you feel in your energy? And notice how your energy affects those around you.
Remember, when people act out, sure it can be because something you did was a trigger for them. But, ultimately, it’s only a trigger because of something in their story.
It turns out, after I was reminded of the please-guy’s name, I remembered that I had beaten him in several mixed doubles tournaments years earlier. Don’t hate the player, playa!
Just let your light shine.
