The summer sun is shining down upon us. You may be enjoying the longer days of sunlight and time in your garden where small sprouts have grown taller and blossoms are transforming into vegetables or fruits. The birds sing to us overhead and an afternoon rainstorm to cool the heat is often welcomed.

Looking outside in the summer, it seems that nature becomes more fully itself and expresses this without fear every day.

For us, as human beings, we don’t always find this so easily done.

We often have gifts, insights, talents, and creative impulses that we keep quiet within. We may feel called to share them, yet something holds us back. Self-doubt appears. We wonder if we’re qualified, experienced, or talented enough. We compare ourselves to others and question whether our contribution truly matters.

When doubts rise for me, I often turn to the wisdom of St. Hildegard of Bingen for inspiration. She knew this feeling well.

She experienced profound visions and insights from an early age, but she hesitated to share them publicly. She questioned herself and resisted the call she felt to write and teach.

Yet over time, she came to understand that the gifts she had received weren’t meant to remain hidden. They were meant to be shared in service to others.

What makes her story so inspiring is not that she was fearless, but that she moved forward despite her fears.

Many of us find ourselves facing a similar invitation in life. Perhaps there’s a creative project you’ve postponed. A dream you’ve quietly carried for years. Wisdom gained through experience that could support someone else. A voice that is asking to be heard.

Shining your light out into the world can start with smaller steps. Maybe showing up more authentically in your own life, sharing a poem with a friend, starting a painting class, leading a small gathering, or speaking your truth with greater confidence.

St. Hildegard reminds us that wisdom ripens with time. Some of our most meaningful contributions emerge later in life, when experience, compassion, and insight have deepened.

I invite you to tap into your own wisdom and try this today:

A Practice: Writing a Letter to Your Younger Self

Find a quiet place where you can sit comfortably with a journal or notebook.

Imagine yourself at a younger age, perhaps twenty, thirty, or even forty years ago.

Write a letter beginning with these words:

“Dear Younger Me…”

What would you like her to know?

What strengths do you see in her now that she could not see then?

What encouragement would you offer her?

What fears did she carry that no longer need to define her?

What wisdom have you gained that might help her trust herself more fully?

Allow the words to flow without judgment. You may discover that the compassion and encouragement you offer your younger self are exactly what you need to hear today.

As you finish, notice what qualities have carried you through life’s challenges. Notice how much you’ve already grown.

The courage to shine is about allowing more of who you already are to emerge.

This summer, consider where life may be inviting you to step forward. Not perfectly. Not fearlessly. Just honestly.

Like the flowers in full bloom, maybe it’s time to trust that your gifts were meant to be seen.

If St. Hildegard’s wisdom speaks to you, I invite you to explore my online course, Healing with Hildegard. Together we explore her teachings on creativity, spirituality, healing, and personal transformation, discovering how her timeless insights can support our lives today. Learn more and register here.