What Makes You Shine: A Guide to Celebrate You

I’m not sure when you’re reading this. However, when this post goes live the following day, we will celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States. Oh my goodness, this is my favorite holiday of the whole year! It’s about gratitude and giving thanks. Honoring what brings you joy and makes your heart shine. It’s when we come together and celebrate everything we are thankful for. In honor of this holiday, let’s celebrate you and what makes you shine.

Remembering My Uncle Jim

As I mention, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.

Once during an icebreaker before a meeting, I was asked what’s my favorite meal. This was a question I did not need to think about for a second, I blurted out my Uncle Jim’s Thanksgiving feast.

Jim would create the most delicious meal for all of us blessed to grace his table.

All the efforts in the kitchen came along with a smile and laughter. Without a doubt, feeding all of us made Jim shine. Writing these words brought tears to my eyes as I outlined this post.

There will always be a special place in my heart for this memory. Each Thanksgiving, we gather together, all attempting to recreate the beautiful feast Jim once provided for us. While we still have smiles and laughter. We miss the wonderful man I called my Uncle, and I pray for him and all the others I miss dearly.

I’m thankful for the times we gathered together around a table, giving thanks for our blessings.

Thanksgiving is the holiday of gathering together to give thanks and praise.

Let's celebrate you! You shine for many reasons. You shine naturally at some things, while you shine at others because of your own efforts. Feel good about who you are.

Appreciate Yourself

Let me ask, how often do you step back to appreciate yourself? What makes you different and unique, all the little characters that make you, well you?

I want you to include small, big, important, and unimportant things in your list.

Heck, if you happen to mention the same things, good for you. That’s got to be an area that makes you shine as an individual. Appreciate that!

Your Path

What is the unique path you’ve been down in your life? No two paths will be exactly the same.

As our thoughts and feelings give us our takeaways, you can be sure that your life experiences are unique to you.

Do you have helpful habits?
What challenges are you working to overcome?
What are your hobbies and interests?
What are your talents?

All of these things are what make you shine.

Embrace your uniqueness

What makes you different from everyone else is your knowledge, interest, relationships you create, and what makes you smile.

Are you courageous enough to celebrate who you are without the “but” that quickly follows our greater qualities?

You know what I’m talking about, that “but” you put behind the thing you shine at doing.

Whatever makes you shine, take time to celebrate these things. Find ways to appreciate all the things that make you unique, and be grateful for all the ways you contribute to helping others. Celebrate your strengths, and let them shine through.

Tell me in the comments below what makes you shine!

If you like this video, be sure to read Be Your Own Cheerleader!

Thank you for your time! I appreciate you, and I hope you have a wonderful week.