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How do you make yourself at home?

You’ve heard this phrase it’s what your friends and family, colleagues, anyone really says to you when they invite you over to their place.

“Make yourself at home”.

How do you do this literally anywhere? How do you create a space of homeliness for yourself, wherever you are?

Is the space created by you? Or by the invitation?

When I was growing up with business all around me, a memory is etched in mind.

My grandparents home which was also their two businesses would have a small sitting room which was also their dining room containing a small lounge, TV and a grandfather clock. This was a step through room. You moved from the front of one shop, step through this room, to get to the rear of the other shop.

One day, I walked in to this room which is usually reserved for family, it was part the house and not the businesses. There I found customers pulling up a stool to the drop leaf tables.

That’s the day I witnessed “make yourself at home” for myself.

It was an odd feeling and experience, at first I was slightly bewildered, scratching my head, I actually asked are you ok? And then I thought to myself, my grandparents would be so proud of our being so welcoming and accomodating. The only reason the customers came in to that room, was because it was the only seating left, meaning the place was packed.

It’s funny how certain moments remain etched and the reasons why. I take that essence with me in the way I treat others. I want them to feel like they are part of my family. I want them to feel at home with me, no matter where I am.

I believe this is some of the how in which you create your values and things most important to you. What memories are etched in your mind? How have these shaped who you have become? Who you know yourself to be?

You probably keep these things to yourself, for you. The minute you start to declare who you are, the world will start to recognise the real and true you.

Why are you hiding? Where have you been hiding? Maybe the world needs you? Maybe the world needs your unique thinking, innovation, ideas. Maybe you don’t yet know how to follow through.

But maybe just maybe who you are in the world is significant, important and you have a role to play in making the world a better place. What is it? What is your part?

It’s time to stop playing small and recognise you do have a huge contribution to make to the world through your unique talents. Not everyone has a defined talent such as being a singer or musician. My dad says this all the time he wishes we were singers or musicians. Funny thing is we are - we just don’t make money or make a living from it.

What are your unique buffet of talents? Yes! You do have more than one. Whoever asked us the question who do you want to be, actually didn’t ask it properly. Not a title or a job. Who do you want to be as a way of being. Then consider what do you want to create in this world?

Start there and think what do I feel at home doing and being?