What would you do if you weren’t afraid or addicted to other people’s approval?

I have recently been invited to speak for a major corporation with an audience of over 500 people. My first response was of fear because I have never spoken to an audience of more than 250 people. After going through the whirlwind of buts and becauses and then speaking with a few of my mentors I decided I had to except this invitation. A few years back I had claimed in front of 30 people in a Spiritual Gifts class this claim to the Universe, "I say Yes to being a global, worldwide speaker sharing about personal empowerment and Spirituality to anyone who will listen to my message or read my books" We'll - the time has come...the Universe is knocking on my door. I found out this is not only going to be in front of the largest audience I have ever spoken in front of before but also going to be broadcasted worldwide!

So you are saying to yourself right now, "Awesome Richard" - Right? We'll, then there was a snag in the fabric I was weaving.

I did a talk last Friday with over 180 people. The talk was on "Claiming Your Greatness" and in the talk I was demonstrating through others and myself what Claiming Your Greatness could look like. I have always believed that it is about the sharing and when we share our life we also give other people permission to muster up the courage to move forward with something they may be afraid to do.

I went out there - with all my courage and strength. Shared my light, allowed the other people who spoke to share their lights and met them right where they were in their lives currently. Yes, there were things I would have changed if I knew what I knew now - but it was just was it was. I believe in Divine Timing and Divine purpose.

When the talk was over I had a slew of people who wanted to share their Ah Ha's with me, ask me questions, tell me thank you and share what they received from the talk and then the ultimate honor was running out of business cards because people wanted to know more about SWIHA. I walked away from the talk full and in gratitude, because I had made a difference in many peoples lives that evening.

A few days later I was getting the sense from someone who attended the event that they were displeased with the presentation. Instead of making up a story I decided to ask this person a direct question so I could stop making up a story in my head...the big one being, "Don't make assumptions." I said, "Did you or did you not like the presentation?" The response I received was all I needed to hear..."It wasn't what I expected". I remember feeling like someone had just gut punched me with a Mac- truck knocking the wind out me. I went right into an old story I thought I had transcended. "See, I am just not good enough - I can't go speak in November in front of 500 people and then have it broadcast to the world -what I am thinking?" I wanted to turtle and just give up.

I had a long talk with this person and after swimming through the muck of my own personal worth I realized that this is only one person's opinion out of 180 people. I had a choice to either let this comment disempower me or empower me, take what was valuable and worthy and use it to be better the next time or let it totally distort and destroy my God Given Gifts and future. I realize a lot of people on this planet have the need to be approved of and wants to be liked and admired for whom they are and what they do. Each person has a different level in which they need outside approval. It has become a global epidemic in my opinion and has caused many peoples gifts not be realized. This is such a terrible web we have weaved as human beings on this earth. I wonder how many people do not move forward with their dreams because of their fear of being rejected and not being approved of?

I have decided to take this criticism with a grain of salt and remember all the positive feedback I received from all the people who thanked me and shifted that evening. What I leave with is this, "We will never make everyone happy or connect to every person who we come into contact with because there are going to be people who approve of us and people who do not approve of us. It is just the way it is -so, my question to you is…what would you do if you weren’t afraid or addicted to other people’s approval? My answer is, I have to get back up on the horse and keep riding...I am here to be the gift for a certain audience and as I have told my students before, "Not every person is your client” I now place in mirror in front of my face and speak those words to myself? How about you?

In Divine Timing –
Richard Seaman