I watched a rerun of the most viewed audition videos of ‘Britain’s got talent’ contestants. Susan Boyle walked onto the stage and sniggers could be heard as the judges, and members of the audience expressed their estimation of who they thought she was. Susan’s words stating that she wanted to be a singer like Elaine Page elicited further sneers and expressions of disdain, until she began to sing, and the fickle audience’s sniggers and sneers metamorphosed into a standing ovation – like a book cover Susan Boyle had been judged.
Perhaps like Susan Boyle you know that you have something valuable on the inside to offer the world, but you don’t fit the bill of people’s expectations, you don’t have the right looks, the right family background, the expected educational qualifications or the right accent… Don’t allow other people’s estimations of who they think you are, stop you from stepping out and reaching for your dreams.
Externals can be superficial, and many times mask an inner insecurity that runs very deep. For many people who appear beautiful and glammed up on the outside, there can also be an emptiness and shallowness on the inside. I reason that like a rough, unpolished diamond’s inner beauty is hidden beneath the earth and encased in an exterior of dirt and oil, the true value of our greatness is often hidden and encased in a veneer of ugliness or impossibility – It adds to the wow factor when a person’s true value is revealed.
Cherish your uniqueness, your gifting, your worth. You have something amazing to offer the world, we all do. Do you value your gift enough to hone and improve it? Do you believe that your unique gift can make a difference and is enough?
I wonder what it must have taken Susan Boyle to walk onto that stage and pick up that mic? I’m sure that wasn’t the first time she had experienced being written off by an audience. Just watching her begin to walk off the stage, even before the judges gave their verdict showed that she possibly wasn’t expecting the rousing applause and response that she received.
We may have to battle negative opinions of us from family, friends, foe and sometimes our own inner voice negating our worth and working against us, but who knows what lies ahead when we choose to stand firm, refuse to believe the lies and persevere.
Susan Boyle had no inkling that her bravery in stepping into the limelight for that one moment in time would change her destiny forever, millions of people across the globe watched her audition, in fact, the You Tube video of her audition was viewed 2.5 million times within the first 72 hours.
You’re a gem, whoever you are, wherever you’re from, regardless of your background or past experiences. You’re unique, truly special, in spite of the rejection or pain that you may have experienced. Susan is just one example – your gift could be your speaking ability, your business sense; your creative flair, your cooking ability, your caring heart, your athletic prowess or intellectual acumen, it could be absolutely anything!
At the start of this new year be encouraged to DREAM again! Believe that you were born to add colour and flavour to an otherwise bland world. Tomorrow belongs to the brave… the only one who can really stop you is you.