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Too Much? Or Just Enough?
Let's just name it: I've been called “a lot.” And honestly? I take that as a compliment. Why? Because I've spent too many years of my life trying to be less—not less noisy, or less passionate, or less sparkly—but less me. And I've come to realize that there's sacred power in being real. Real messy. Real honest. Real loving. Real fabulous.
Just last week, a dear friend and fellow minister said, “Bobby, you are one of the most authentic people I know.” And while I did a quick mental scan of whether I'd overshared about tequila in Mexico (spoiler alert: I had), I also felt deeply honored. Because in a world that often rewards polish over presence, it's no small thing to show up as your full, unedited self.
This week's Daily Word at New Thought Unity Center was Authentic, and let me tell you—it preached to me. The affirmation reads: “I live proudly as my authentic self.”
That hit home. Because for many of us, authenticity isn't a default setting. It's a choice. A bold, sometimes scary, always liberating choice.
Growing up, and even early in ministry, I believed I had to tone myself down. Be more buttoned-up. Be more spiritual-sounding. Say things like “beloveds” and never, ever drop a well-placed cuss word. (Oops.) But the more I tried to squeeze into someone else's version of reverent, the more I felt disconnected from Spirit—and from myself.
So I stopped pretending.
And when I did, something incredible happened: I connected more deeply with the people around me. Not because I had all the answers, but because I was willing to be honest about my questions. I showed up with my full heart, my full humanity, and a healthy dose of humor—and people leaned in.
Friends, there's no substitute for real. And real doesn't mean perfect. It doesn't mean polished. It means present. Present with your joy, your fear, your flaws, and your faith. Present with your stories, even the ones that start with, “You'll never believe what happened…”
Authenticity isn't about sharing everything—that's TMI, and I've danced across that line more than once. (If you've ever seen me at a wedding reception, you know what I mean.) No, authenticity is about sharing what matters, when it matters, from a place of love—not ego.
As Myrtle Fillmore said, “You only need to be what you are—a radiating center of God's life and love.” That's it. Not more. Not less. Just you—fully expressed, divinely designed, and spiritually equipped.
So this week, I invite you to lean into your “too muchness.” Say what's true. Laugh out loud. Let people see the real you—the one who cries during sappy commercials and dances in the kitchen and sometimes eats ice cream straight from the carton.
Because when we live authentically, we light the way for others to do the same. We become walking permission slips for divine expression. And that, my friends, is holy work. You are not too much. You are just enough. And your authenticity? It's a gift to this world.
Join us this Sunday as Rev. Dr. Gerry Boylan shares all about authenticity and how it impacts your life.
With sparkles, sass, and a whole lot of Spirit, Rev. Bobby 
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