More: A public service announcement.

Do you ever wonder if you aren't living up to your full potential?

Or, if you're like me, do you ever wonder if you even have potential?

I have found that most of my life I have spent making myself smaller.

That I was so busy just trying to survive, that I forgot to live.

To breathe.

To be myself.

And not the supporting character self.

The LEAD.

The can-do, kick-ass, strong as hell hero.

I have spent my days apologizing and second guessing and politely denying that I may have some magic inside of me.

I see this very often with the men I work with.

They come into my office, unsure and avoiding eye contact, because they too have believed an untruth about themselves.

But let me tell you, when they discover who they are,  I mean who they really ARE, it's like light exploding in a room.

It's like nothing can stop them from outshining all the stars in the galaxy.

It's like witnessing a miracle, a brand new spark in the dark dark universe that shines and shines and says I'M HERE.

I want more for myself.

I want more for them.

I  want more for you.

Can you imagine what it would be like if we all believed that we had something spectacular to offer? If we lived like the world deserved us, like we knew that our lives held meaning and purpose and impact that no one else could offer?

Can I tell you that THAT is the truth we need to believe?

I  remember when I was young, I had an intense fear of "faking it".

Or, in other words, of being found out I was a fraud.

But did you know, that the most successful people are not the ones who necessarily have talent, but the ones who BELIEVE they have talent?

They ones who say yes and speak up more and recognize their own inner gifts?

Many of you know I work with men recovering from homelessness. And I have to tell you, that there is no special "catch all" to describe how a person comes to find themselves in this particular position. We have people of all shapes and sizes and of every talent. People who were wealthy and people who were poor and people with degrees and  people who can't read.

And they are all a little shook up by their situation.

They are all second guessing a bit their worth at this time in life.

But the ones who move forward?

Those are the ones who have told themselves over and over, "I can do this."

They have internalized the belief that they have something to offer, they have gotten back up and looked around and said "I am HERE and you need to know it!"

They have remained humble, remained open to help and have accepted it as it has come to them.

But they have not let their circumstances determine their worth, they have not let it darken the hope on the horizon.

They have looked around the room, held up their head, and said, "I deserve to be here".

And they do.

And so do you.

Do you know this?

Do you show this?

Do you let it guide your decisions and your steps and the way you see yourself and the opportunities in front of you?

If not, you need to reassess what exactly it is you are believing.

You need to check and see if the fraud you are so afraid of committing is actually the fraud itself--

that you aren't worthy.

aren't good enough.

aren't able.

How discontenting would it be to come to the end of your life and feel you did not use your gifts?

Your talents?

To realize you were acting all along, but it was the wrong role?

Be more.

Do not do us a disservice.

We need your light.

The public will thank you.