Someone, somewhere is going to see your happiness and try to damper it. They are going to see your positivity and question it. They are going to see how you act—full of life with a smile on your face—and poke fun, or judge, or wag their finger in front of your nose and tell you all the ways you’re wrong.
Don’t let them.
Life is too short to not be passionate – about things, about people, about love, about living.
And if there’s a career or person you’re crazy about, a goal you’re fighting to pursue, a dream you’re still doodling in the corner of your notebook, a song you just keep on singing—I hope you never stop letting that passion fill you.
Our dreams, our drive – those are things that matter at the end of the day. Not how many possessions we accumulate or how much money is in our wallets. Not the things we’ve accomplished or the recognition we’ve been given, or even the times we’ve failed.
What matters are the lives we’ve touched and the joy that has filled not only our hearts, but the hearts of those around us.
That’s why when you find something that makes your body and soul shine, you cannot give up on it, no matter what anyone says.
Don’t let the world define who you become. Don’t let people’s opinions change who and what you love, or how you act. Don’t let harsh words hold you back, or criticisms keep you stagnant. Don’t let the world try to mold you into what it feels is best. Don’t allow yourself to be changed for the wrong reasons.
Don’t let anyone dull your shine.
If there is something you’re passionate about, stop questioning and relying on the guidance of the people around you, and listen to your heart. Too often people try to deter us from our deepest wishes out of jealousy or bitterness. Sometimes even those that love us fear for us, so unintentionally they hold us back.
But if it’s a dream you’ve been dreaming – pursue it. Let go of caution and leave negativity behind. Jump, walk, run, fly forward into the things and people you love.
Open your eyes to the possibilities. Open your ears to wise words. Open your heart to ideas well beyond what you ever imagined. And trust – the known and unknown.
One day you will find something you love. And one day you’ll understand what I mean when I say you have to chase that something. You will have this unexplainable pull to do, to be, to become whatever it is that your heart is telling you. It won’t always make sense, but your fingers will tingle, your heart will jump, your body will suddenly feel so alive, and you will glow with the light that only passion and love can bring.
And when that happens, I hope you remember my warning: Don’t let anyone dull your shine.
Because this is your opportunity to grow, to shift, to make something beautiful in a world that’s filled with so much darkness. This is your life and your future and all that you are meant to be – if you step out of the shadows and let your light be seen.
Sparkle in the sun, dance in the moonlight, set fire to the world with the passion in your heart. You are light – beaming and brilliant.
And as long as you keep chasing what you love, as long as you keep listening to your heart and believing in yourself and your dreams, you can, and will change the world. 
