Remember Who You Are
 | Author:
Ellie West, Certified NLP Coach/Practitioner of Hypnosis and Timeline Therapy
Inside Inspiration: Certified NLP Coach/Practitioner Of Hypnosis and Timeline Therapy |
Ellie West
Certified NLP Coach/Practitioner of Hypnosis and Timeline Therapy
While spending time with my daughter over the 4th of July holiday, I noticed she had a lioness necklace. It is beautiful, yet it profoundly represents courage and strength. I am beginning to understand how symbolic the lion is for her. “Remember who you are.”
In 2004, she was studying abroad in Australia, and I had the opportunity to visit her. While there, she and I saw "The Lion King" on stage. I had seen the movie and was excited to see it live.
As I remembered the story, I found a greater connection between the storyline and our lives, which revolve around knowing who we are and who we belong to.
What surprised me was the powerful message "The Lion King" offers.
If you remember the story, it is a “coming of age” tale about a young lion named Simba. Made in the image of his father, Mufasa, Simba is told about his rightful inheritance to bring peace and order to the entire animal kingdom.
As a cub full of whimsy and wonder, he dreams about the day he will be king. But an enemy is hiding in plain sight: Simba’s uncle, Scar. Corrupt to his core and eager for power, Scar hatches a plan. He will lure young Simba out to a forbidden field as a golden opportunity to kill the king and bury his heir under crippling shame and remorse.
Convinced he is responsible for his dad’s death, Simba escapes into a desert of hiding and self-numbing distraction. “Hakuna Matata” (“no worries”) replaces his inheritance.
Still, Simba remains restless… until one night, looking at his mirror image in the water, Simba suddenly sees his father's eyes looking back at him, arresting his shame and beckoning him to reclaim his name with four simple words:
“Remember who you are.”
I couldn't help but see reflections on my own journey. Like Simba, I, too, have faced times of hiding and self-doubt.
At this point in the story, Simba turns to run home, and as he runs, the song “He Lives In You” begins to play.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve believed in the God of the Bible. It wasn’t until 1977 that I made the connection between what I was taught and what I believed in my head and was open to allowing the knowledge to travel to my heart. 💕
I have desired to know and follow him with everything I am. But, like Simba, I spent years hiding out in deserts of shame and not living out my true purpose and potential.
Was I living who I was created to be—authentically?
I thought I was “living my best life,” but it wasn’t. I heard that I was made to co-reign with my heavenly Father. I just couldn’t figure out how to bridge the gap of rejections, failures, and regrets that seemed to separate me from Him.
I didn’t know what to make of the distance, but I was sure it was the result of some poor decisions and choices that I had made…it was my fault.
This led to many years of striving as I tried to conquer and become the person I was called to be, the best version of myself.
Have you ever been on a journey and found that the journey you are on has taken you to the same place you began?
I had a Simba-like encounter in which God shattered my internal thoughts of regrets and failures and asked, “Are you ready to stop hiding in the desert and become your true authentic self—the daughter who I created you to be?”
In late 2020 and beyond, I could finally see the Father’s eyes looking back at me in my spiritual mirror. I was a beloved daughter, invited to grow intimately deeper with the one who created me.
I began to understand and could breathe, knowing I was being taken to a place that would open my heart to something more significant. I felt more capable and more confident in my gifts.
Just as Simba held his head higher, I could also.
I am a daughter of the King. I am capable, I am loved, and I am worthy. This Good News wasn’t exclusive to me but available to everyone.
I am finding my voice as a writer, having written a book and working on another. As a Certified Master Practitioner and Enneagram Coach, I am also creating space and coaching others to understand who they are and who they were designed to be in fulfilling their God-given dreams and purpose.
I am beginning to understand a deeper intimacy and relationship with the Father. It can happen anywhere, and yes, it can even happen in pursuit of the very dreams God gave you in the first place.
But we must be careful to stay in alignment with our calling. If we aren’t, we can become so intent on being faithful to our mission that we begin to miss Him.
“Look inside yourself. You are more than what you have become.” - Mufasa.
I understand now the significance of my daughter and her connection to the lioness. It is about “remembering who you are.”
Today, I invite you to stop, breathe, and Remember who you are.
#coachinghearttoheart💕 #addingvaluetoothers #womensintensives
