Unfortunately, our society promotes comparison, which can breed envy. Every marketing campaign is geared towards selling a lifestyle over a product. Want to be cool? Drive this car. Want to be seen as a jet-setter, travel to these places. Want to be rich? Go to this school. More than the product or service, we should want the life. Why? Because it has sparkle, shine . . . bling.  Too often we buy into the idea through the marketing, only to find ourselves with bling and no balance, constantly chasing the next high of being validated. 

Think about how you feel when you hear someone's child is majoring in medicine versus education or law versus music. You don't have to say it out loud, but just acknowledge it. Did you value one more than the other? Maybe you did. Maybe you didn't. I bet most people will value medicine and law over education and music. Why? Because society has taught us that the bling that comes with those is somehow better. That's just one example. You need only walk out of your front door or talk to a stranger on an airplane to find more examples. The suggestions are everywhere.

The problem with buying into the "better" bling is that it often leads to an unfulfilling life. This is NOT to say that becoming a doctor or lawyer leads to unfulfillment, unless it's not your true path. 

It is imperative that we create our own bling. Our lives shine through our authenticity. We are at our best, when we can operate in the highest expression of ourselves without judgment. Letting our life shine requires that we gain understanding of who we are, what we want and the path we will take to get there. 

Having chased societal bling in past, I'm acutely aware of the dangers of dimming my authentic light. Creating my own authentic shine was the only way to personal fulfillment and professional success, as defined by me.