Full disclosure: a year ago, my self-image felt so challenged by sharing my gifts freely, and showing up transparently as myself. 

I would have felt so embarrassed about being on the cover of a magazine! 

Feelings of self-judgement, playing small, and hoping I’m not offending anyone by shining my light would have typically come up.

Last month, I had the privilege of being on the cover of the TranscenDance™ Tribune magazine, and I felt none of those things. 

With the transformation work I get to do, of course I’ve applied it to myself, and that’s what has grown my self-image. So now I can feel proud about the impact I get to make through sharing my light and talents.

When I was first asked to be featured, one part of me felt honored and grateful, while another part of me wondered hmm… should I keep this news quiet?

As I sat with that hesitation, I realized it came from a place in me that once believed it was safer to stay in the background. 

For a long time, I learned to be grateful without being visible, to achieve without announcing, to shine incompletely so it would not make anyone uncomfortable. 

That way of being served a purpose once, but it no longer reflects who I have become. 

The journey that brought me to this moment was built on years of listening inward, choosing courage over convenience, and saying yes to experiences that reconnected me with my own body, creativity, and joy. 

This magazine cover is really not even about achievement. It is about expression and reclamation, and when I remembered that, something aligned within me.

The truth is that celebrating ourselves is not about proving anything, and it’s not about announcing that we think we’re better than someone else. It is about honoring what has unfolded and recognizing the inner strength it took to arrive there. 

We’re supposed to love ourselves outloud. And that includes celebrating all of our wins.

I realized that if I kept this quiet out of habit or fear, I would be reinforcing an old story about shrinking to feel safe. Instead, I decided to share from a grounded place, a place that serves not only me but everybody. 

The truth is, joy is allowed, visibility is allowed, and celebrating all of it is a good thing.

Life is meant to be celebrated. It’s nature’s intention that we delight and celebrate in our lives as the norm, which is very different from what we learn growing up. 

When we share our joy openly, we also give others permission to do the same. We remind one another that living into the greatness that each of us already is, is something to honor, not hide. 

This way of being creates space for others to say, “I have something beautiful unfolding too, and I want to let it be seen.”

If you have an accomplishment, a milestone, or a win that feels small that you have been hesitant to speak aloud, I invite you to consider sharing it. 

We’re all human, so perhaps a part of you will be seeking approval, too. That’s ok. But the focus is to acknowledge the truth of your own growth and allow your light to be part of the room.  

Your celebration does not take anything away from another person. In fact, it might be the nudge that reminds someone else that their own joy is worth honoring.

I am grateful for the recognition I received, and even more grateful for the inner shift that allowed me to share it with openness instead of hesitation. 

May we all continue growing into the version of ourselves that feels free to celebrate the beauty that we are.