On the first Frazzled Mind Detox I shared the metaphor of The Diamond, The Horse Sh*t, and the Nail Varnish which I first heard about in Kim Hare’s book, The Heart of Thriving, where she used this metaphor to describe who we really are when we allow ourselves to show up fully in the world.
Despite all my years training leaders, clinicians, and coaches, I still get nervous just before I start a new workshop or training programme. And it’s even more nerve racking when I’m sharing stuff I’m passionate about with people I already know. But I know that the more I show up honestly and fully, the more I enjoy it. Trouble is you just learn over your lifetime to hide and build layers of nail varnish or body armour to protect yourself. I’m learning to live a new way these days and I’m enjoying sharing new stuff with people, despite the occasional colliewobbles.
So, imagine there’s a diamond deep inside all of us, which we’re born with. This represents our true nature, At your core you are a diamond…flawless, beautiful, strong, and resilient. And not just you. Every human being.
Sometimes the diamond gets covered and surrounded with horse sh*t. This is our strories, our baggage, our self-created limitations, our ‘not good enough’ thinking. And then because we’re terrified that others will see the manure, we surround it with a thick layer of nail varnish. This is the mask that we show to the world. The armour we put on every day to be acceptable, to conform, to hide, to not stand out, to look pretty.
Many people’s nail varnish is in the forms of positions and titles, certificates and qualifications, wealth and things they possess.
But regardless of this, the diamond is always there, and as we begin to peel off the nail varnish, most of the horse sh*t falls away of it’s own accord. Because there’s nothing to keep it there. And then you can just shine.
Showing up as your diamond changes everything. It’s the true strength of vulnerability. It’s who you are at your core before you believed you were your personality, your feelings, your flaws or your frailties. You aren’t any of those things.
I love this quote by Marianne Williamson…
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not out darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, “who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?” Actually who are you not to be?”
Great question. Who are you not to be?
Shine bright like a diamond lovely people.
Love you lots, Angela xx
PS: These thoughts are inspired by my own journey so far, the lessons I’ve learned, and the insights I’ve seen that have made a difference to the way I live and the lives of others.
