Flawed & Worthy

I want to share a story with you that beautifully illustrates what it means to fully accept ourselves—flaws and all—in our wonderfully imperfect humanness.

It begins with a walk I took this past weekend, when my friend Rob and I were meandering along the tree-lined trails of our property. He and his wife were visiting, and as we strolled through the forest, our conversation turned to something close to both our hearts: being messengers. Sharing words and wisdom that help others step more fully into their authentic selves.
 

“That's what I want to be,” I said to Rob. “A messenger.”

“That is what you are,” he replied.

To which I responded with a quiet sigh, “I know.”

“Whoa,” said Rob. “There was sadness that just came up for you. What's that about?”
 

It's hard having such perceptive friends sometimes—and equally wonderful.

Rob wasn't going to let me brush past that moment. He asked me to stop walking, to turn and look at him, and to tell him what was really going on. 

It was uncomfortable facing this emotion while being face to face, but I did it. I feel safe enough with Rob to open up and vulnerably share what's on my heart.

And I'm glad he asked, because had he not, I might've let the moment slip by unexamined—and missed an opportunity to deepen my self-awareness and acceptance.

When I paused and went inward to explore what that sadness was about, the answer surfaced quickly. When I said, “I know I'm a messenger,” there was an undercurrent of fear and doubt—this sense of not being worthy enough to claim that role. Tears pricked my eyes.

It wasn't just the fear of not doing the job “well enough”—it was frustration, too. Frustration that the whole worthiness thing is still an issue for me. It was just a fleeting thought in the moment I said “I know,” but Rob caught it.

I shared my feelings with him, confessing, “How can I help others who struggle with worthiness if I still struggle with it myself?”

And what he said next shifted something profound in me.

“Your job isn't to overcome these feelings,” he said. “It's to acknowledge them when they surface—and to understand them as very human emotions. The goal isn't to make them go away, but to not let them stop you from being who you're here to be. And the fact that you can recognize these emotions and move through them is a gift. That's what makes you relatable and able to help others do the same.”

His words struck a deep chord.

They reminded me that we are all flawed. And when we deny ourselves the human process of recognizing and moving through our emotions—by telling ourselves “I shouldn't feel this way”—we disconnect from our humanness.

But it's our humanness that makes us relatable. It's what allows us to support others who are struggling, too.

And maybe, just maybe, the only way to become worthy is by being fully human—by accepting all our emotions, even the ones that challenge our sense of worth.

That doesn't mean we sink into despair when those dark feelings arise. I don't think they ever fully go away. But when they do show up, we can meet them with compassion. We can say, “Ah, there you are,” and accept them as part of the journey. And in doing so, they begin to loosen their grip.

So I encourage you to simply notice when those moments of doubt, fear, or sadness surface. Say hello to them. Acknowledge them. Accept them. They're not signs of weakness. They are signs that you are fully, beautifully human.

To help you reflect more deeply on your humanness, here's a journal prompt to leave you with:
 

“What emotions do I find hardest to accept within myself—and what might shift if I greeted those emotions with compassion rather than judgment?”

I hope you take a few quiet moments to explore the answers to these questions, and see what wisdom rises from within.

If you'd like to go deeper with this kind of inner work, I invite you to visit my new website, JoyfulJourney.ca. There, you'll find resources to support your journey, including my book Whispers of the Soul, details about one-on-one coaching, upcoming retreats, and more.
 

It's all designed to help you connect more fully with your inner wisdom and live a life that's aligned with your true self.
 

Until next time, let the whispers of your soul keep guiding you on your joyful journey.