Have you watched Susan Boyle's audition on Britain's Got Talent? Over the weekend, I noticed everyone on Twitter (follow me here) was talking about her, and I finally got curious enough to check out her YouTube videos.

I was totally blown away and moved to tears!

Susan Boyle is a 47-year-old unemployed British woman who auditioned for Britain's Got Talent show. When she stood on the stage and told the judges she is 47 years old and aspires to be a professional singer, they all rolled their eyes. They kind of snickered when she said she would be singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables. The three judges and the audiences were so cynical... until she started singing her first note.

As soon as she started singing, my eyes welled up. You know some people get goose bumps when they get a sign or message from the Universe? I get tears. She sings directly to my soul... I watched the rest of the video through my tears, and the tears wouldn't stop until almost an hour later. The judges and the audiences went crazy for her, as they should be! The expressions on their faces are priceless! It reminds me of Donald Braswell's performance on America's Got Talent, where he turned a full-house of booing audience into standing ovations (I wrote about it in my previous post Success Principle: Turning a Deaf Ear to Nay-Sayers). It's like the ultimate revenge of the underdog. Who doesn't love rooting for the underdog? I was sobbing and cheering for her!

It was inspiring on so many levels. Her angelic yet powerful voice is such a contrast to her appearance. I can see why she said she was never given a chance to be a professional singer before. Yet she had enough fortitude to stand on that stage and fend for herself, and she was forthcoming to tell the hosts that she lives with her cat, has never been married, and sadly, never been kissed. She has a fierce side, I can tell. We all witnessed something extraordinary. As one of the judges put it, it was totally a privilege to hear her sing.

I think she moves me, not just because of her amazing voice. It was so healing to hear her sing, because she reminds me of all those times in my life when others told me I can't, or I'm not good enough. So many times in my life, I've had to prove myself, or choose to tune out the nay-saying, so I could follow my own heart, my own path. I'm glad I've followed my internal compass. If I'd listened to "them", I wouldn't have gotten this far in my life and my career. What's worse, I would've been stuck in a life I don't want and feel totally miserable.

Can you imagine if Susan Boyle had listened to all the nay-sayers (which I'm sure are plenty) around her? Can you imagine having an extraordinary gift like hers and nobody ever knows about it? You know, you too have something important to share with the world. I don't know what your gift is, and maybe you don't know either, but, I know the world needs your gift. I know that if you truly embrace your gift and let yourself shine, you will make a difference. Don't die with your music still inside of you. I hope you choose to follow your own path like I did. At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter what other people think. It matters that you follow your heart and choose a life you want. It is YOUR life, after all. Nobody can live it for you.

It takes courage to follow your own path, but, it's so worth it.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. -- The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

Labels: attitude, authentic self, conscious choice, empowerment, healing, inspiration, mental fitness, perseverance, success