The Power in Your Glimmer

When Toan Lam was 10 years old, he devotedly saved the dollars contained in every red envelope gifted to him on special occasions by his Chinese-Vietnamese immigrant family members to purchase a pair of shoes, which he had seen in a store window at the nearby mall.

They were maroon-colored penny loafers, and they glimmered with magic.

The day he walked into the store to purchase them was one of the most exciting days of Toan's young life. He had accomplished his goal! 

But the next day, when he wore the maroon penny loafers (sockless, of course) – paired perfectly with his grandmother's hand-knit sweater and three-quarters length pants – to school, it turned out to be one of the most devastating days of his life. The other kids teased him for his chic, unique style. He never wore the shoes again.

Toan joined the first cohort of Your Bestselling Book this past fall in order to write an interior design book focused on elevating your authentic style with spirit on any budget.

But what he discovered was a healing treasure. A "free writing" session during the very first class launched a cathartic unfolding in which Toan celebrated his 10-year-old self. He reclaimed the pride and joy of that little boy.

Because upon that horrible day back in 1988, the little boy Toan Lam never would have believed that the adult Toan Lam would not only be celebrated for his personal style, he would find his power in it. He would even reap financial benefits from it – as a TV announcer, interior designer, and personal stylist to celebrities, influencers, and friends.

And, most importantly, he found value in his stylish, unique and chic authentic self. 

In his soon-to-be-released book Glimmer: 12 Simple Ways to Elevate Your Style and Spirit, Toan offers tips for not only uplifting your home with affordable, attainable designs, but also for embracing your beautiful, unique spirit.

Weaving in stories of his life experience – from growing up poor in Sacramento, to funding his way through college, to becoming a TV broadcaster and TV show host, to leading media training programs for presenters and politicians, to decorating homes as an interior designer – Toan's book is an inspirational story of success based on celebrating what makes each of us an original.

WRITING TIP OF THE WEEK: Find Your Glimmer

Let's revisit a difficult moment in your past.

But don't worry – we're not doing this for punishment. We're doing it to heal. We're doing it to find the power in your glimmer.

1. Give yourself at least 30 minutes of guaranteed peace and quiet in which to do this exercise. 
2. Write down a story of something painful, difficult, or traumatic that happened to you in the past.
3. Now think about how you might reframe this challenging moment. Can you recast yourself as the hero of the story? Can you find any gifts that emerged? Or quite simply, can the adult "you" imagine this younger version of you standing before you and offer them comfort and solace?
4. Sit with the fresh perspective you have just envisioned and recorded. Does it change how you feel about the past? Does it help you heal? Can you feel yourself glimmer with self-love, appreciation, and a sense of your own innate worth?

This exercise is tremendously useful to do alone, as it can allow you to re-shape your own narrative around difficult moments so that you can process and heal.

And it can also be a powerful thing to share, just as Toan did when he read this story aloud to his cohort inside my book coaching program.

So once you finish writing your own glimmering version of your challenging moment from the past, consider sharing it with someone.

Aloha, 

MeiMei 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."

– Ralph Waldo Emerson