What Does It Mean To Be Known?
You deserve to Be Known.
I say that a lot. And every time I truly mean it. But it can land flat if you don’t know what it means. Even if you don’t know what it means to be known, I think it’s something you desire. I believe, at our core, we all want to be known. We all want to believe that, for some rhyme or reason, we are part of this world for a purpose.
Over the last 15 years, there are three things that I have come to find is true for almost every person. The first is that we all want to know that we are unique. We ask ourselves questions like, What sets me apart?, What are my gifts and strengths?, or What is my purpose? We all want to know what is specific and unique to ourselves that potentially nobody else in the world has.
Secondly, we want to be affirmed for the uniqueness we find in ourselves. We want others to believe in our unique abilities, skill, and strengths and see that we are good. More than just a parent saying “you’re doing great!”, but for people to see and encourage us in our uniqueness.
And lastly, we want to be able to use our unique strengths for good. What makes us, us, we ultimately want to use for the greater good in our families, communities, the world. When we know ourselves, our gifts, and our strengths and are affirmed in them, it’s only natural to feel encouraged and inspired to emphasize those abilities.
I want to encourage you to take a step back and be a reminder that you deserve to be known. I want you to find the freedom that comes from knowing your uniqueness, being affirmed in your uniqueness, and using it for good. What makes you unique? If you’re not sure how to answer that, can you set aside time this week to find the answer? Is there someone you can share your answers with who can affirm you? How can you use your answers for good?
You deserve to be known. You are worthy of taking the time to know yourself more clearly. I’d even take it a step further and say you have to be known. You and your uniqueness are needed in this world. You have to take the time to find your uniqueness so that you can bring your uniqueness to this world.
To take this a step further, who is someone you know? How can you tell them that they are known? What good have you seen in someone else? How can you affirm and encourage someone in their uniqueness?
