Growing up in California, I never understood an East Coast winter.

But enduring this crazy winter of 2014, I get it.

What makes it worse is when I talk to my relatives in California and they leisurely say, “It’s 78 today here. We are going to the club for golf. Then going to hike in the sun. What’s it like in New York?”

And all you can say is, “Well Mom, it’s minus six out. Enjoy golf.”

But who’s complaining!

On this past Sunday, when the sun was shining and the temperature shot past 50, I exploded out of my apartment in a mere windbreaker and walked and walked and walked some more.

My mind unraveled in a every direction as if it was released from a long stay in solitary confinement. I had a million revelations as brilliant as this rare Winter sun. But no revelation was more clear than this…

I realized it had been far too long since I unleashed Mr. Awesome.

“Who is Mr. Awesome?” you ask.

Mr. Awesome is the most real, most courageous, most powerful, most dialed-in person in the whole world.

And he lives inside of me, and you (in which case it might be Mrs. or Ms. Awesome)

There is within each of us a power that is so strong, it is an invincible force.

—Mr. Awesome doesn’t seek respect. He demands it!

—Mrs. Awesome doesn’t ask for healing, she simply changes our vibration.

—Ms. Awesome doesn’t hope to climb the ladder at work, she radiates power.

All we must do is call upon him/her, literally, and then stand back. Our insecurities will fade, our doubters will kneel and all our best qualities will erupt.

Try it. Next time you are feeling “lesser than,” or someone disrespects you, say out loud to yourself and to your shadowy nemesis, “Look out for Mrs. Awesome!”

They might look at you like you are nuts.

But at that moment, something magical will happen. You will give yourself permission to shine.

Remember Marianne Williamson’s quote, “We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be?!”

Think of that book of matches in our home. The matches won’t light unless we strike them. So it is with our power, potential and awesomeness.

The universe or God or whoever we call the permeating force just needs us to strike it! What are we waiting for?

The Bhagavad Gita says that if we take one step toward God, he will take 10 steps toward us.

Say these words (and then get ready for a magical day):

“Have you met Mrs. Awesome?!”

Love elephant and want to go steady?

Sign up for our (curated) daily and weekly newsletters!

Editor: Rachel Nussbaum

Photo: elephant archives