There are certain people we admire,
People who just seem to glow with something special.
Maybe they're deeply creative,
Or confident,
Or wise.
Maybe they're grounded in a way you want to feel,
Or open in a way you want to be.
It's easy to think they have something we don't,
But often,
What we're really noticing is something we've projected,
A quality that's already in us,
Something we haven't fully owned yet.
This practice is about recognizing that,
Taking our energy back from others,
Not out of judgment,
But with love,
And remembering that the light we see out there is also within us.
Find a comfortable seat or lie down.
Let your body settle however it wants to.
You don't need to hold yourself up right now.
Start by just noticing your breath.
There's no need to change it.
Just notice it.
Let your inhale come in gently,
And your exhale release anything you don't need to carry right now.
Feel your body supported by the surface beneath you.
There's nothing to figure out,
Nothing to fix.
Just let yourself arrive.
Now,
Picture someone you admire.
Someone who seems to shine with a quality you wish you had more of.
It could be someone you know,
Or someone you've only seen from afar.
What's the quality that draws you in?
What do they seem to have that you feel a little disconnected from?
Name it gently in your mind.
Is it freedom?
Depth?
Boldness?
Calm?
Joy?
Whatever it is,
Just hold that feeling for a moment.
Now imagine looking into a mirror,
But instead of seeing your usual reflection,
You see that exact same quality in you.
Not because you copied it,
But because it was yours all along.
You just hadn't seen it clearly yet.
Take a few breaths to sit with it.
Let yourself feel what it's like to own this part of you again.
Now bring your attention to your chest,
Your core,
Or wherever you feel this quality the most.
Breathe into that space.
Let it expand just a little.
Not to perform,
Not to impress.
Just to connect.
If it helps,
You can say something simple to yourself like,
I can recognize what's mine,
Or I don't need to give my power away.
Whatever words feel real to you.
You're not trying to become anything.
You're just remembering who you already are.
Think of all the people you've admired over the years.
Maybe even people you've envied or obsessed over or tried to please.
Thank them quietly for showing you something about yourself.
And thank yourself for being willing to take that back.
You can still love and respect others,
But you don't have to lose yourself in the process.
This gold is yours.
It doesn't need to be earned or proven.
It just needs to be welcomed home.
Come back to your breath.
Let your awareness return to your body,
To your hands,
Your shoulders,
Your face.
Maybe take a deeper breath in.
Let out a long,
Easy exhale.
If your eyes are closed,
Open them when you're ready.
But take a moment before you move.
And carry this quiet knowing with you.
You're not missing anything.
You are never lacking.
You are just remembering.
