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Nurture your Nature with our Editor, Natalie Hughes

By on July 30, 2013
beauty back

How long have you been fighting your own nature?

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

–Albert Einstein.

I can remember the first time I looked at someone else and wished not to be me.

It was kindergarten and she was lovely: long, blond braids and blue eyes with tanned skin. Even at the young age of 5, she was smart and spoke confidently.

I, on the other hand, was naturally timid with a short brown pixie cut and hazel eyes. Clearly this was not good enough when it was possible to be like the pretty blond girl.

I also remember my father being frustrated with my somewhat scattered nature. I was interested in many creative things and didn’t seem to put any thought into organizing myself… I just hopped from one project to the next, leaving a wake of debris behind me. I wanted to do whatever I felt like, and clearly tidying the supplies was never going to be on my list of joys. Years later I found myself in my role as a mother, frustrated with my bright, inquisitive son for his own lack of organization and his selective hearing when it came to following direction.

 

 Imagine yourself as a small child, born with innate abilities in areas that are unique to you: the way your body is built, the way your brain is wired, your set point for metabolism and the natural levels of body chemistry and hormones you operate with.

 

Perhaps you effortlessly took to large motor skills like running and climbing. Perhaps you took to reading or math or the arts easily… perhaps you were naturally more anxious or born with a boldness.

For most of us, somewhere in those early years someone our lives – a parent, a sibling, a caregiver or teacher – became frustrated by our unique ways. Possibly they themselves were wired differently, or they may have been nurtured to think that there is only one way to look or behave, and it is necessary to change who we are to conform. Maybe, like me, you came to conclusions about which traits are desirable and which are detestable, and even decided that you did not meet your own high expectations.

Has this critical voice continued to run the show – the voice that says you need to change who you are or you will never be enough?

 

Nurture Your Nature.

I’ve begun challenging this voice in the last few years, to see the benefits in how I was born and how I developed through my life, and I’m suggesting that every single spiritual, emotional and physiological trait is exactly as it should be in each of us. Each thought of lack can in fact be turned around into something to be grateful for… to even be celebrated!

Here are a few examples for me:

– My “one-track mindedness” that used to frustrate my parents and teachers has turned out to be crucial in my career as a performing musician.

– My average sized pear-type body that has never reached “model-thin” status is in fact extremely healthy and rarely succumbs to viruses, and my shape holds less risk for certain cancers.

What stories about yourself can you modify to help you nurture your own gifts and abilities? What traits are unique to you and have actually served you and your life’s work in a profound way?

 

This week, try:

– Making a list of points you have always disliked about yourself,

– Think carefully about how each one has been (or can be) pivotal in shaping your life in a positive way.

– Now create a new statement for each point encompassing this fresh perspective.

 

Next, I would challenge you to ask yourself how you can leverage your innate abilities to create an even better life:

– In your career, can you take on responsibilities that utilize your natural skill?

– Can you accept the skills you don’t possess and give credit or workload to those who are naturally brilliant in those areas?

– Can you look at others that you once criticized through new lenses of acceptance?

I truly believe that the key to happiness is to know yourself, to embrace the truth, and to trust that you have all that you need to live the life you were destined for!

 

natalieNatalie Hughes is a writer, singer/songwriter, recording artist, musical director for Crystal Andrus Productions, and the Editor in Chief of simplywoman.com. For more on her music, visit nataliehughes.com and get the Beauty EP on iTunes

 

 

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