The Shadows Aren't for You

Navigating transitions.. don't hide, you're not meant for the shadows..

Hi there 👋🏾 welcome to this week’s newsletter, it’s so great to have you here. Today I’ll be unpacking navigating transitions; specifically on letting go of who you thought you were to arise to who you’ve been created to be. Get comfortable, and happy reading!

Letting go of who you thought you were to who you really are

It can be hard when you’ve gotten used to showing up as a certain version of yourself that no longer reflects who you really are. Transitioning from who you thought you were to who you really are…

This is a journey that I truly believe is ongoing. There will always be learning, unlearning and re-learning, and I’ll like to share my story with you. Growing up I had always been quite assertive. I’m the girl who would make random friends on holidays and I’ve always loved connecting with people. But over time, that changed. I became shy, less expressive and a shadow of myself.

I wonder what I was saying here but I think you understand my point, I loved talking, I was very expressive and my dress says a lot really, I lived life in colour, I was myself. In 2020, I had a strong desire to seek God more and have an understanding of my purpose. Why I’m here, what I’m called to do and so much more. The more time I spent with God, the more He began to show me aspects of myself that make me who I really am. I realised the new desire to truly live my life was found in building my relationship with God and understanding my identity in Him.

I’ll provide some more context. I’ve always been a Christian, and I decided to be intentional about my relationship with Jesus when I was around 13 or so. But over time I realised though I had accepted Him, I wasn’t accepting the complete life He has for me. I was still stuck in a cycle of constant negative thoughts, people-pleasing etc and I found it hard to come out. In 2020 I decided to fully accept this new and complete life and I’ve never looked back. The more time I spent studying the Bible and having time for deep reflection, my mind became renewed and I began to unlearn patterns that had developed over time. This is what I mean by a new and complete life, one that is constantly navigated through God’s perspective. Moving with deep trust in God and remembering that His plans for me are better than anything I could imagine, I only need to trust and take it a day at a time.

Coming out of the Mould

It’s easy for us to succumb to a mould and not want to move past previous limitations, mindsets, and beliefs that we’ve become so used to but are far from who we really are. But my question is, will you choose to let go of the old and step into the new?

Each of us has potential, but we all decide how much of that potential will manifest on earth- Dr Myles Munroe.

Think of cake batter, unless it’s put into an oven, undergoes heating and a process of baking, it will never be edible. It’s the same for us, we need to undergo a process of pruning, shedding, and letting go of dead weight so we can truly actualise our potential. Examples of dead weight could include self-imposed limitations on your capabilities and not having an appropriate environment to foster optimal growth.

This is a picture from when I first started to speak publicly and I spoke on ‘Identity’. I had never done this before, but in retrospect this day symbolised me remembering who I really am- one who is confident and bold.

It’s easier said than done but I believe it’s worth the try, to begin again. I’m currently on the journey of learning to take ownership of who God has called me to be. What I mean by this is, not hiding, but stepping out and taking those baby steps. I’m recognising what I carry and what I have within me and not downplaying how far I’ve come. I think it’s so important for us to decide how we truly want to live our lives. You’re not too young or old to decide to live intentionally, discover your purpose, and dare to dream again. It’s not too late, you can start today. I remember questioning if I was really ready to launch the Uncovered Conversations’ Instagram page. But I’m learning that readiness can only be determined by God really. He knows when it’s best for us to execute.

Accepting Transitions

Transitioning is beautiful. I see it as you recognising and accepting that a certain season, way of life whatever it means to you really, has come to an end and it’s time for a new chapter to begin. As I write this I can’t help but think of how a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly. I love analogies so stay with me.

A caterpillar goes into a cocoon at some point before it emerges as a butterfly. In practical terms, I see this as the stage between when we choose to come out of the shadows, open up, and see where we go. Coming out of our shells needs to happen at some point, it’s a shell, it contains you and if we stay in then there’s only so far we will go.

It can be painful as well! Because you’re letting go of the life you’ve known for something new. But I’m learning that as long as I live my life surrendered to God I know my path will always be beautiful. Life may not go as planned, but I know God will always have more in store for me.

So my question for you today is, will you choose to lean into the transition? Or would you stay in the shadows? The shadows aren’t meant for you, let’s collectively choose to step out, I believe in you. As I round off today’s letter here are some words to hold unto as you go into a new week.

• The shadows are not meant for you, come into the light. I see Jesus as the light, the one who guides my path and shows me the way to go. As I have chosen His path for me, I’ve seen what true life looks like.

• Allow yourself to evolve, life is a journey and there is always so much more. Don’t be afraid of change, sometimes it’s a necessary spur for new growth.

• There is no one else like you, you carry unique solutions, and ideas that the world is yet to encounter. Let us experience this, take it step by step.

I’ll love to hear your thoughts, are you currently navigating a transition? Is there something you need to let go of that’s holding you back?

Share your thoughts below! I’ll love to hear your perspective.

And don’t forget to bring someone along on this journey

Resources 💌

Here are some resources that have helped me navigate transitions and begin to develop a better understanding of my purpose.

• Book: The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren: this book is simply amazing! I read it when I started to think more about the meaning of purpose. I’ll highly recommend it.

• Video: Stewarding Transitions by Stephanie Ike: I listened to this when I had finally accepted the season of stillness God was calling me to. I shared more on this in my last newsletter, here’s the link if you missed it.

• Video: Understanding the Purpose of Your Life by Dr Myles Munroe: I listened to this recently and wow, this has to be one of the best messages I’ve heard on purpose in a while. I got the quote I shared earlier on from here and he explained purpose so well.

I hope you enjoy these resources, let me know if you use any of them. Till the next letter, I’ll see you soon.

Love,

Rhieme