November 2025

Written By Gretchen Murchison

🐰🐰 Becoming Who You Already Are

Loving yourself isn’t vanity; it’s sanity. – Katrina Mayer

The only constant is change...

Some questions arrive softly but linger long after we read them. Bukowski’s is one that stays with you:

“Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be?”

It’s a question that doesn’t scold or shame—it simply nudges. It invites curiosity. And it opens a door to something many of us haven’t visited in a long time: the wide, bright space of who we are at our core.

The Spark That’s Still There

Long before expectations, comparison, and “shoulds” showed up, there was a version of you that followed your spark with confidence. Maybe you were creative, adventurous, silly, thoughtful, observant, bold, gentle, or wildly imaginative. That version hasn’t disappeared. It’s still here—quiet, maybe, but present.

Sometimes, reconnecting with yourself isn’t about digging deep or unraveling old wounds. Sometimes it’s simply about remembering what lights you up.

Try asking yourself:

  • What used to excite me—before I cared what anyone thought?

  • When do I feel most alive now?

  • What feels like “me” even if it doesn’t feel practical?

These moments of brightness aren’t trivial; they’re clues.

Releasing the Noise, Keeping the Light

As we grow, messages from the world pile up quickly:

  • Be more this.

  • Be less that.

  • Fit in here.

  • Don’t shine too brightly there.

But here’s the truth: you are not obligated to carry every message handed to you. You’re allowed to release the ones that dim your light.

Reclaiming your true self doesn’t require dramatic reinvention. It can start with tiny shifts:

  • Choosing joy over obligation once in a while

  • Surrounding yourself with people who feel like sunshine

  • Caring less about perfection and more about presence

  • Saying yes to things that energize you

  • Saying no to things that drain you

These are acts of quiet rebellion—and beautiful self-honoring.

Returning to Yourself Is Hopeful Work

The process of coming back to yourself doesn’t have to feel heavy. In fact, it can feel refreshing. It can feel like taking a deep breath after holding one for too long. It can feel like turning your face toward the sun.

You might notice:

  • More ease

  • More clarity

  • More joy

  • More laughter

  • More creativity

  • More space in your day that feels like it’s truly yours

These aren’t coincidences; they’re signs that you’re aligning with who you’ve always been.

Try These Bright-Hearted Reflections

Grab a journal (or the notes app on your phone) and explore:

  • What parts of myself am I excited to bring forward again?

  • What do I want more of in my everyday life?

  • What did I love that I might want to revisit?

  • What helps me feel open, hopeful, or energized?

  • Who am I becoming—and who am I welcoming back?

You don’t need perfect answers. Just curiosity.

A Closing Thought

You’re not starting from scratch.
You’re circling back to yourself—with more wisdom, more compassion, and more courage than ever before.

The world may have told you who you “should” be, but you get to decide who you want to be.
And that version of you? She’s been waiting in the light.

I'm grateful to know you and I thank you for letting me be a part of your journey.  Please let me know if there is anything more I can be doing to support you.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others. — Maya Angelou  

Helpful Numbers:

I recommend adding these to your contacts in your phone. If you don't need them, you might be able to share them with someone who does.

Gretchen Murchison https://www.sunriselcsw.com
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