The Power of Self-Acceptance

My life-long journey with my intuition and ability to see what most cannot, has had lots of ups and downs. About 2 years ago, I decided to fully “come out of the closet” with my strong connection with the “woo-woo” and start using my gift directly with my clients, so I could more deeply help and support them to cultivate the work and lifestyle they love.

Revealing myself in this way took a lot of courage, and still does today. My inner critic often has a lot to say about how I “should” keep this side of me quiet and tamped down. But I now proudly bear this flag because I have seen first-hand, how powerful, transformative, and helpful this gift can be to me and those in my circle. I am no longer fearful of it since I now trust that I will attract those who are open to it and can be most served by it.

My path to self-acceptance of all of who I am has been fraught with pitfalls, hurdles, and seemingly endless mountains to climb. And it all began when I was a small child.

I've had a deep connection to my intuition and a strong connection with the “other side” ever since I can remember. I was that kid. I knew things and saw things most people didn’t. I was often kept awake at night by “things.” Some may call them entities, beings, spirits. I just thought they were my friends or energies to interact with when the rest of the house was asleep.

Sometimes these “friends” were intrusive and unfriendly, so I would seek refuge in my parents’ room and try to rouse them. I wanted their comfort, and since they were more than half asleep, I would just end up climbing into bed with them.

Often, they would wake up and carry me back to my room. They didn’t understand my concerns. I had a hard time articulating what I experienced and they probably dismissed it as a child’s active imagination.

I was young and my 4-year-old brain could not understand why others couldn’t see what I saw.

My “sight” strengthened as I grew older. One night, when I was 8 or 9, I was getting ready to go to sleep. My parents were out and my babysitter had set our house alarm. I was reading so my bedroom light was still on. I saw a man wearing a red and blue windbreaker and jeans walk across my bedroom. He was non-threatening and did not really interact with me. He seemed purposeful, just walking across the room and out my door. He was transparent, so I knew he wasn’t “real.”

It was a profound experience and so I got up out of bed and asked my babysitter if she saw him. (I was still confused as to why others didn’t see what I could see.) From my adult perspective of today, I understand why she totally freaked out and hit the house alarm panic button, summoning the cops and my parents. No one there could understand what I was trying to express—that he wasn’t scary or threatening. After the drama of the police calmed down, I became so ashamed by this experience. I believed that I caused everyone a lot of trouble and concern, for no reason other than I wanted validation—that I wasn’t a freak and that others could see the same things I saw.

The story I told myself is that I can’t trust what I see and what I see isn’t “real.” It’s not safe for me to honor and hone this gift. And so, from age 10-20, I dismissed this sight, this gift, and this huge part of me.

Thankfully, it was restored when I was older and had a better understanding of how to use it. In my 20s, I met wise women and mentors who supported me in honing this gift and connection. They taught me how to create “boundaries” with these beings. I learned to set “office hours” and made it clear that my sleep was sacred and not to be interrupted. Most of the beings were confused about where they were and just wanted someone to pay attention to them. I discovered that I could simply request for them to go to their home (or to the light) because it was not my job to help them.

I discovered that instead of being distracted by other energies and their agendas, I could actually use this gift to help people here. I kept this knowledge quiet and rarely shared it with others, for fear of judgment, rejection, and shame.

So ever since, I’ve relied heavily on my intuition and connection with my wisdom. My “sight” now speaks to me in many ways. It has led me down my life’s many twists and turns and always provided protection, even if my heart was broken and my mind would try to second-guess its wisdom. I’ve been in a conscious partnership with it, since the early days of my entrepreneurial path in 2002. It continues to serve me in all aspects of business. In particular, my 17-year-old handbag business, Paige Hamilton Design, from every bag design and detail, as well as which vendors to work with, what tradeshows to participate in, what deals to say yes to, and which ones to walk away from.

My intuition guided me to invite conversations with my retail and vendor accounts, beyond bags. We would brainstorm solutions to their challenges, and they were getting results. I found myself “coaching” them without consciously realizing it. I discovered that being in service to people, in this way, was even more fulfilling to me than I could have ever imagined. And so, launching my integrative coaching practice was the natural next step and expansion to where I was being called and led, and my 20 years of being a business owner was the training ground for where I am now growing.

Through the years, my gifts continue to expand. I co-create with them all day long, while I maintain the boundaries needed to keep myself clear and undistracted. Permitting my insight and connection to spread its wings and see what it has to offer me, has truly been an awesome experience. Just being and allowing me to be me, has provided my life and my work greater efficiency, clarity, creativity, and connection. At the same time, my clients are also cultivating success and transformation, and achieving results faster and easier.

So, here I am, in full self-acceptance, loudly and boldly proclaiming my gifts and offering to share them with you and the world. I am incredibly proud and grateful for my “sight”, my intuition, my connection with what most cannot see. My biggest challenge has become my greatest reward-- learning how to master it so I can use it to be of service.

Would you like to learn how to master yours? Click here to learn 9 ways to hone your intuition.

What powerful gift have you been hiding and why? What’s the cost if you don’t share it with the world?

Or, my friend, what’s possible if you do?