DESTINY FORUM: Dr Iyanla Vanzant on living your vision

"Give yourself away," urged Dr Iyanla Vanzant in an inspiring talk that brought DESTINY Forum attendees to their feet.

Dr Iyanla Vanzant aproached the stage from the audience as the sounds of a song urging people to "give themselves away" filled the room. She echoed this sentiment, urging attendees to give themselves over to a higher power. As she approached the stage, Dr Vanzant told attendees to join hands with the people next to them and feel life in their hands and simply breathe.

"Ask your higher power for His vision for you. Say 'I give myself away to a higher power so He can use me. It is in His hands.' Holding onto what was will not make you who you can be," she said. 

"The concept of vision is important for each of us as we need to see beyond the place we're in, into something greater. Your vision is inside of you, not outside of you. We need to look within ourselves. We need to see beyond external obstacles. This will reveal your vision; how you will be in the world; how you will be living your life," said Dr Vanzant. "What you see is who you will be. Your vision gives birth to you and pulls you forward."

Dr Vanzant related a story about how she went for an eye test and discovered she needed glasses. What the woman administering the eye test told her can be applied to your vision for life.

She said, "Your eyes will adjust to a level of deficiency present in your current state of being." Often you think you're seeing the whole picture but you're not. 

"Do we adjust to the level of deficiency, to what people tell us we can't do, to our fears and therefore limit the possibilities of our vision because we can't see the whole picture? If you can be bold, courageous, or feel the fear and do it anyway, your vision will pull you forward," said Dr Vanzant.

"Don't think in terms of what you can or can't do, you can only do so much. This is limiting. Live it. Knowing your purpose, your vision to serve the world in a greater way, will pull you forward. If you're asking what your vision is, you haven't found it. It's inside you. Your vision will tell you what you're meant to do, what your calling is. You feel it, you know it!"

Dr Vanzant also stressed the importance of remaining aware and observant in the pursuit of your vision. "Often we're so busy doing, we forget to be and watch what's happening around us. Remain aware but know that when we stumble, we move to our purpose faster than we would have otherwise."

"Your vision should scare you. If it doesn't make you want to pee your pants, it's not your vision," she concluded. "Don't be afraid to be loud and wrong! Be true to your calling."