No More Playing Small: The Choice to Matter
- Cheryl
- Jun 23
- 3 min read
Dear One,
Right now, more than ever, we are being called into radical authenticity—to live, speak, and choose from the truth of who we really are.
There’s a collective pull to step into our power—not the performative kind, but the kind that rises from within. The kind that doesn't seek permission. The kind that remembers: You matter.
Simultaneously, there’s a quiet epidemic running through even the most conscious circles—a hunger for approval dressed up as confidence. And while the world praises self-esteem, there’s a deeper truth we’re being called to uncover:
Self-esteem and self-worth are not the same thing.
One is dependent. The other is eternal.
In a world addicted to performance, comparison, and validation, it’s time we get honest about the difference—so we can stop performing our power and start embodying it.
This is about waking up to the subtle ways we abandon ourselves in the name of fitting in, and returning home to the truth that we matter—without needing proof.
Let’s break it down.
SELF-ESTEEM is the temporary high we get from doing something “right” or being seen as acceptable.
It seeks external validation to feel uplifted.
It’s like caffeine: a quick rush that fades, leaving you craving the next hit.
It relies on approval, applause, and evidence that you’re “enough.”
It often feels like striving, efforting, or performing to match a societal mold.
It’s self-care without presence—like getting a massage while mentally beating yourself up.
It disappears when the feedback loop ends. No likes, no compliments? No self-esteem.
It fuels image over essence—changing how you look to feel like you belong.
It mimics others’ paths and calls it confidence.
It’s fitting in and calling it fulfillment.
It sets boundaries to protect your smallness, not your truth.
It’s the belief that without someone else’s mirror, you don’t exist.
It’s believing you matter, but never knowing it.
SELF-WORTH is a frequency you anchor into your body—not a feeling you chase.
It’s an inner-knowing that settles into the body like truth.
It arises in the silence, not the spotlight.
It’s an upward current that doesn’t need topping off.
It’s awakened through awe, breath, nature, stillness, joy, unconditional love, and real connection.
It confirms you are part of everything, not separate from it.
It brings peace, clarity, and a steady nervous system.
It’s knowing, even alone in a room, you radiate significance.
It honors your emotions, your presence, and your impact.
It’s self-love expressed through reverence, not routine.
It’s living by your own truth, regardless of who’s watching.
It’s saying “no” from wholeness, not fear.
It’s owning the ripple effect of your every choice.
It expands “self” to include all of life, not just your image.
It’s feeling yourself as frequency, a cosmic force, a living truth.
It’s the unshakeable knowing that you matter.
This is the difference between trying to be someone and finally realizing you already are.
This is the heart of the matter. I Matter.
We don't need more “confidence.”We need more clarity. We don’t need more applause.We need more attunement.
You don’t have to earn your worth.You are it.
And when you live like you matter, everything changes.
The whole needs you to be YOU in all your unique weirdness! Light some shit on fire with the presence of your quirky and seemingly imperfect self. Don't wait to have it all figured out before you realize you matter. The point is to know you matter WITHOUT HAVING IT ALL FIGURED OUT. Take a chance on your own joy, knowing you have an impact when you are authentic.
You matter because you exist, and you exist because you matter.
**If you are looking for support as you step into your powerful self, I hold The Empowered Hour group sessions twice a month!
With fire and love,
Cheryl
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