Blue Lace Dress: Sears c/o (old, similar here, here, here) | Kimono: Altar’d State (similar) | Booties: Target | Bag: Target (similar) | Earrings: Nickel and Suede c/o | Necklace: 9th and Elm c/o | Watch: Vierra Watches c/o (Use code BEINGMOLLY for 10% off) | Cuff: Your Words Cuffs c/o (Use code MOLLY for 10% off)

Photography by Em Grey

You probably read the title and are thinking I’m talking about material things “stuff.” You would be incorrect. The “stuff” I’m so lovingly? referring to is YOU… and all that comes with you. You know, your “stuff.” Not the stuff that everyone sees, but the stuff that really makes you, you. The stuff that is deep within you.

The stuff that gets you up in the morning. The stuff that drives you. The stuff that you’re dealing with. The stuff that you’re trying to hide. The stuff that consumes your every being.

The stuff that your closest confidants may not even know.

Yep, your “stuff” within this context can be both good and bad. The thing is, sometimes even identifying our “stuff” is the hardest part.

I’ve been really doing a lot of self-inventory lately (I know, I feel like I’m talking about it ad nauseum) and last week I sort of hit a place where I realized that some of my “stuff” I don’t particularly like. 

It’s not that it’s awful or detrimental to society or anything like that… the fact is, that sometimes figuring out what is really beneath the layers and layers of soul, skin, and organs is stuff that we are often ashamed to admit about ourselves.

Maybe it’s a way we honestly and truly view ourselves.

Maybe it’s a way we view others.

Maybe it’s a way we view our career.

Maybe it’s what we really think when we look in the mirror.

Maybe it’s how conscious we are, or how much emphasis we put on other’s opinions of us.

Whatever it is, I think the biggest, and often most important step, is taking the opportunity to identify it. Say it out loud. Say what you think and what you believe. Verbalize it.

That’s the first step towards moving on from it. Healing from it. Putting it behind us.

It can be really hard in the blogging world to not want to compare our lives to everyone else’s life highlights. Yep, for the most part, social media and blogs are filled with the highlights – the good stuff – the fluff. And that’s OKAY.

But the fact is, we cannot let other’s highlights make us feel as though we aren’t worthy. They cannot make us lose sleep at night because we aren’t “good enough.”

Whatever it is, we have to realize that everyone… no, seriously, everyone is dealing with something. Even someone with the most “perfect” life is struggling somewhere within themselves. It’s just a fact of life. It’s a fact of our imperfect human nature.

But, I think that the sooner we are able to look within ourselves, take inventory, and move on from our “stuff” is the sooner we are able to be proud of who we are, be proud of who God made and be able to shout it from the rooftops: “Yes, this is who I am and I am dang proud of it!”

Welcome to Let it Shine…..the new, revamped Funday Monday! After two years….we decided to rename our link up to something we felt would be a better fit. Thus, Let it Shine! Why the name? Because we want this link up to be just that…..your chance to let it shine. We’ll be sharing our favs here each week and on social media…….

/ Color / Spring Must Haves /

Another place we will be showcasing our favs? The Let It Shine Pinterest Board! So, go ahead…..and Let it Shine!