Find Your Shine
“You are a diamond that has some parts covered, clean it off and shine.”
It’s Wednesday, August 1st, 2018 and I conduct a mock interview with HR coordinator, Kenny. I have an interview for a full-time position Friday and I want to make sure I am prepared. Breathe in. Breathe out. You got this, Daylan. But before I leave Kenny’s office, he wrote me a message on a purple sticky note:
“You are a diamond that has some parts covered, clean it off and shine!!!”
Me? A diamond?
Diamonds are unique and can bring value to a person, place, or thing. Famously known as a “girl’s best friend”, rings symbolize beauty, royalty, and are made from high-pressure environments. If you think about it, we are diamonds, too. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, we resemble strength, and we ALL have overcome a lot to get to where we are today.
“So, Daylan, are you telling me that I am a diamond?”
Yup! And you should think so, too.
But in today’s world, we tend to shame people for their inability to conform to social norms. The result? Low self-esteem. When low self-esteem takes over, our sense of worth diminishes and we start to think:
“Nobody loves me. I feel worthless. I’m not appreciated.”
Which brings us back to Kenny.
Once I accepted Kenny’s advice, I went into my interview with confidence and made a good impression. We all can live by Kenny’s quote. What separates the “diamond in the rough” people from the masses is their ability to discover their value. These people seize the moment and let their light shine without blocking their peers’ success. But the process of becoming a diamond in this life does not happen overnight.
Before we can become “diamonds”, we will go through a rigorous process. According to Smithsonian, diamonds are formed deep within the Earth below the surface in the upper mantle. In this area, diamond crystals go through high pressures and temperatures to develop.
When the trials, tribulations, and high-pressured situations start to occur in your life, how will you respond?
The diamonds in the rough people know how to use tough times to shape them into the rock they were destined to be. Once you come out of the pressure and adversity, you will be stronger than ever before.
To find our shine, we have to realize that we are a diamond and once we have discovered our worth, we will start to shine. In the “clean it off and shine” part of the quote, Kenny referred to our areas of improvement.
When we improve on our weaknesses, we are not only bettering ourselves but also the people around us.
From the famous song “Diamonds in the Sky” by Rihanna, Rihanna says: “Shine bright, tonight. You and I. We are beautiful like diamonds in the sky.” These lyrics compliment this article thoroughly and I want everyone reading this to know that you are worth it, you are appreciated, you are loved, and you are a diamond.
We are all diamonds that have some parts covered — and that’s ok. We are not perfect. We are human, and we will make mistakes. But once we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and strive to get better everyday, we will bring some color to a world that could use some more peace, love, and positivity.
So shine on, my friends. Let your light shine until the end of time. The world needs you!
