I watched Celine Dion share in an interview this morning about her harrowing experience with Stiff Person Syndrome. I was struck by her courage and strength as she explained what it's like to not only go through the physical pain of this illness, but the emotional pain as well. She spoke about how she didn't know who she was outside of her singing career and how difficult it has been to go through this painful loss of identity.
I can only imagine what that must be like for her. It can be so incredibly difficult to watch your life move in a direction you never saw coming, never wanted, and never planned for. It can be heartbreaking to have to let go of an identity you thought was so inherently YOU, that without it, you feel like there's nothing left.
I too, have had to let go of many of my past identities and it is no walk in the park.
But humans are so much more than any one thing. We are so much more than our labels and even offerings to the world. Sure, we often have a part of us that seems to rise to the surface in a way that grabs the attention of other people for long periods of time, but those parts are just that - parts. Human beings are so much more dynamic and diverse in our expressions and abilities.
Celine Dion is not just a singer, but a mother, a friend, a warrior, an advocate, a speaker, a teacher, and I'm guessing dozens of other things as well. So if the "singer" part of her has to rest for a while, I'm sure the other parts will rise to the surface to shine for us in other ways.
And this gives me hope and a desire to diversify my thoughts about who I am. It reminds me to consistently remind myself that who I am is much deeper than any one thing I do or don't do and that I am worthy and worthwhile, despite my limitations, setbacks, or even just aging. It reminds me that my social identities can change and evolve as my seasons of life do as well.
I know that Celine Dion is a famous person with many challenges (and privileges) that are uniquely her own, but I think we can learn a lot from her story and apply the lessons to our own personal and intimate spaces and stories.
Here is a link to the self-discovery and goal-setting workbook I use to help me process who I am and how I want to show up in the world during different stages of my life.
And here's to creating a beautiful life, even if it's not what we thought it would be.
We got this!
Love,
Julia
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