Feeling inadequate? Stressed? Wondering if you're fulfilling your purpose? Or, just need a little pick-me-up?

Be encouraged by A Passion for Kindness author, Tamara Letter! This two minute read is sure to lift your spirits.

Guest Post by Tamara Letter

One of my favorite ways to unwind after a long day at school is to stop in The Local Cup, a little hole-in-the-wall coffee shop where the owners greet you by name and there’s always a cozy corner to read, write, or chat.  This week, as I placed my coffee on the table, a magazine cover caught my eye, its headline drawing me near: “Pursuing Authenticity: The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be.”

Curious, I flipped through through the pages to discover an article written by Jessica Honegger, author of Imperfect Courage and founder of Noonday Collection. Her words struck me to the core as she described her challenges. “The fear of how people might perceive me became nearly paralyzing… sometimes I think that all of us, deep down, must not believe that we can be more than one thing.”

WOW. Talk about a powerful statement! I was riveted by her story of risk-taking and self-perceived failures. How many of us fight the battle of perfectionism? How many show only one side of themselves to the world for fear of being misunderstood, ridiculed, or judged?

Too many to count.

Friends, if this sounds like you, you are not alone. I fight that battle daily! In fact, those fears nearly kept me from writing A Passion for Kindness: Making the World a Better Place to Lead, Love, and Learn. I was terrified to share my story with the world because it wasn’t the picture-perfect, Pollyanna view of kindness that others might expect it to be.

What I discovered in sharing my kindness journey with the world, is the beauty in vulnerability. It’s ok to be less than perfect, to have days where you’re barely hanging from a thread. It’s ok to step back from the world for a bit to pour into the parts of your life that are necessary for balance, self-care, and renewal.

It’s ok to be you.

In Chapter 2 of A Passion for Kindness, I described how I found purpose: “My adulthood was a comfortable status-quo, paint-by-numbers canvas where everything had order and symmetry. It was time to pick up the brush and paint outside the lines.”

You are beautifully and wonderfully made, with all your quirks and dispositions, and the world needs you to be exactly who you were made to be. Don’t feel trapped by the box of conformity! We are palettes of paradox with colors blending along the edges, each shade and shadow necessary to paint inspiring masterpieces. You can be many things all at once: a parent, an educator, a leader, and a friend. You can even be an author, too!

Who you are is not contained to one role, one description, one straight-lined path of existence. You have defined strengths and skills that only you can share. Your voice is powerful in its authenticity; there’s no need to pretend you are bigger or better than someone else.

You. Are. Enough.

May you shine in your own unique way, bringing brightness to a sometimes dark and dreary world. All you have to do is follow that little whisper on your heart and make it happen!

If you're interested in learning more about A Passion for Kindness, check out this beautiful sketchnote by Julie Porter.

If you’ve already read the book, you can write a review on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and/or Goodreads to be entered in a giveaway for a free signed book on March 30! 

-Tamara

Thank you, Tamara!

Thank you, Tamara! What a beautiful reminder to be who we were made to be!

If you want to know more about A Passion for Kindness, click the book image below to read the first few chapters for free. Simply scroll down to the large cover image and click "Preview."

Be sure to follow Tamara Letter on Twitter or Instagram (@tamaraletter) or her website www.tamaraletter.com. You can also join her Facebook group “A Passion for Kindness”.