Welcome to 12 Days of Christmas: Awakening the Gift of Christ Within – a special reflection series to kick off Season 4 of the Soul-Powered People Podcast. Over the next 12 days, we will dive deep into the divine essence that resides within each of us – the Gift of Christ Within. This divine presence, already embedded in our being, is the spark of God’s essence that empowers us to lead with purpose, love, and authenticity.
Through daily reflections, we’ll explore how to break free from the limitations that hold us back, heal from past wounds, and step into a future filled with boldness and hope. As we honor this gift, we’ll embrace our divine leadership, moving beyond fear and victimhood into a life that reflects the fullness of who we are. This journey is about awakening the truth that we are not just here to survive, but to thrive, create, and serve as vessels of divine impact.
Join me for these 12 days of reflection as we step into our highest potential together.
12 Days of Christmas – Day 1: Embracing Your Divine Gifts with Tess Vergara
Season 4, Episode 1 of the Soul-Powered People Podcast
Key Highlights:
- Reflect on the power of your divine gifts
- Break free from the limitations holding you back
- Step into leadership that is authentic and purpose-driven
- Heal from past wounds and open up to the future with hope and boldness
Listen to the Audio Podcast: Click here to listen to the audio podcast
Watch on YouTube: Click here to watch on YouTube
Reflection Exercises “Homework”
Scroll to the bottom for daily reflection exercises.
Transcript
All right. Welcome back to soul-powered people. Season 4. I’m your host, Tess Vergara, and I’m so thrilled to finally be back this year. Our theme this season is awaken your divine leadership: Lead, serve, impact. And because I’m coming back so late in the year, I am kicking it off and making it up with 12 days of Christmas. I’m coming to you 12 days in a row for 12 days, diving deep into reclaiming our divinity, breaking free from the systems that suppress us and rising to our highest potential despite and because of the deliberate dumbing down of human consciousness, which is the theme of this podcast right, despite of and because of the deliberate forces meant to hold us back.
We are here to awaken and empower ourselves, our businesses, and our lives. So I’m so glad to be finally back.
I planned to come back right after the election. I had my outline all set out, but Thanksgiving came and went, and it never really felt like it was the right time to restart the podcast. And finally, here we are today.
So I’m borrowing the idea of 12 days of Christmas from a video blog I did back in 2015, 2,015, almost 10 years ago. Well, the idea that came to me this year was to go away on a retreat and do some self-reflection, and somehow my old blog from 2015 resurfaced. And the idea of sharing 12 days of opening up the gift of Christmas, opening up to the Christ within, kind of just lit up in my head.
And so when I wrote the blog in 2015, imagine me, I just quit my job in accounting. I just empty nested, traveled to Europe. I thought I was going to well, I went to Hawaii, and I thought I was gonna stay there. I ended up staying in the West Coast, and I was in the West Coast for 2 years, and then came back to Minneapolis in late 2017. But anyway, 2015, I just started. I quit my job. I started as a coach for a personal and business development firm in San Diego. So that’s why I left Hawaii to go to San Diego. But anyway, that Christmas in 2015, I spent a whole lot of time just being alone with my own thoughts, slowing down my thoughts, capturing my thoughts, and really, really being intentional with my thoughts and where I want to lead my life. And most of it too is really just being intimate with God, with the divine.
And so I feel that that’s the same energy. In 2025, this coming year, I need to be alone with God. I need to be alone and really be deliberate and intentional on where I’m leading my life, you know, in 2025 and the years forward. I feel 2025. there’s a lot of unknowns, lots of excitement, lots of stepping up, lots of boldness into the unknown. So we’re leading the way, soul powered leaders.
And as exciting as that sounds, I feel the need to be grounded in Christ even stronger than ever. So life’s not gonna be the same again. Even with the election, everything is upside down, you know, inside out, right soul-powered leaders?
Would you join me the next 12 days to go within, explore, reflect, and call in our divine leadership? Because life is never going to be the same as we know it, and the energy of 2025 feels promising and exciting. And so let’s step into a new year, into a new chapter together, writing our leadership. Intentionally, writing it, creating it right, like bringing it into the world deliberately, and soul-aligned.
So in seasons 1 and 2 of soul power to the people podcast, we focused on rising above crimes against humanity. Because when we recognize that the attacks on our soul, on our freedom, on our health, whether they come in the form of government overreach, in social conditioning, in people-pleasing, in toxic relationships, they are all attempts to dumb us down, to keep us in fear, in confusion, and dependency. It traps us into victimhood.
So, and when we, when we get trapped into victimhood, we feel, we believe we are powerless. But in truth, the power is within us.
So in season 3, the focus was normalizing and elevating soul power, because when we reconnect with the power within, we see that nothing and no one can steal our sovereignty, no one. Nobody can steal our freedom, our soul, unless we let them.
So here we are in season 4, with all the truths and the ugly truths being revealed to us every single day about the world we are in, and we get to awaken our divine leadership.
I don’t know about you, but I have had a real hard time not to focus on the ugly, not to focus on the chaos, not to focus on perceived failure, not to focus on the crimes against humanity, on the intentional murders and genocide. Hence, this strong need for me to be intimate with God in the next 12 days, and beyond, of course, but particularly in the next 12 days in preparation for Christmas.
We are at a pivotal moment of change, and it’s really time to embrace the changes ahead, and we soul-powered leaders, we are the agents of change. But first, we need to shift our focus from past disappointments, from past betrayals, and train our eyes to the gifts already within us all, to the gifts already inside of us.
And that’s what needs to happen for me in the next 12 days: raise my self-awareness where I am still getting hooked, on hurt and pain from the past years. Huge betrayal, huge, huge abandonment issues coming up, and I invite you to join me. Come along. Reflect where you might be called to heal from the past and let go of any emotional baggage that’s weighing you down. And we’re gonna step up even bigger, even bolder.
And I know you’re doing great in your businesses, in your leadership. And think about it, without the emotional clutter, we get to open up to the more that we are here to become. And that’s the gift of Christmas. That’s the gift of Christ within.
When we operate from our divine gifts, we are not only successful, we are fulfilled and aligned with our highest purpose, creating the difference we are here to make.
So season 4 is about awakening our divine leadership. It’s going within and remembering our divine nature. We are not passive beings here to blindly obey and comply at our own detriment. We are the hands of God. We are the voices of God, we are the faces of God. This body. This body is the vessel through which God’s essence is known to the world, free from the limitations that others try to impose upon us, free from the dumbing down of human consciousness.
And this is why we must reject the lies of victimhood, reject the false narrative that tells us we are small, insignificant, afraid, or dependent on external authorities. We must rise above the forces that seek to dumb us down. And for me, for me, the biggest crime against humanity is the dumbing down of human consciousness.
Because when we are functioning from fear and survival, we don’t get to experience. We don’t get to see. We don’t get to express the glory of God alive in each and one of us. And that’s why they want to trap us in stress, to keep us sick, to block our access to God. And that’s why I spent so much time in this podcast, not only exposing the crimes against humanity, but also elevating soul-powered consciousness and remain at one with God.
And this is the sacred call that I’m leaning into, that I’m stepping into, to rise, to rise above crimes against humanity, to rise above the lies, rise above the system that attempts to suppress us. But they are not gonna win, right? Because Ephesians 2, verse 10 says, for we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.
So, I don’t know about you, but maybe you experience this too. My clients come to me sick and tired of being sick and tired. My 2024 kind of felt the same, too. I felt stuck in my relationship, in my business, strategies that just weren’t working out. And that’s the tip, right, to get unstuck. That’s the tip. You are God’s masterpiece, equipped with everything you need to succeed. Isn’t that empowering?
And actually, this year I joined Kingdom Factor. I’m certifying as a Kingdom Factor coach, because this is what I need. I need an anchor. Otherwise, my head can mess with me big time. And so growing up, I never really saw myself as a leader. But since 2015, when I left this zone of comfort and familiarity of Minneapolis, and traveled, I saw, you know, everything about me changed. I stepped into leadership, and so that’s the biggest myth out there: I’m not a leader, or I need to be more like others to be successful.
And this myth creates self-doubt and keeps us stuck. And the truth is, when you align with your true calling, you unlock your limitless potential. And you might not recognize or fully recognize your unique gifts just yet, but they’re here. They’re there, waiting to be reawakened. It starts by being open to the idea that there’s more to you than meets the eye. You are God’s masterpiece, equipped with everything you need to succeed. The seed of potential is already inside. We just need to water it. So give your potential some attention and recognition.
When we open to embracing our divine gifts, we see a shift in ourselves and in our work, and in how we relate with others. My clients experience more fulfillment, greater impact, and alignment with their God-given purpose. And it’s not an overnight process. We first need to open up to the idea. Oh my God, there’s got to be more to me. Right? So recognizing your unique gifts isn’t just about identifying your skills and talents. You are God’s masterpiece, equipped with everything you need to succeed. They are divine gifts placed inside of you, waiting to be recognized as part of your destiny.
So being a leader isn’t just about making decisions or managing people. It’s really about leading yourself, discovering your God-given gifts, and using them in a way that makes your heart and soul sing. It could be to inspire, to serve, to love, to uplift. Right? As a leader, as an aspiring changemaker, your gifts aren’t just meant to make your business profitable. They’re meant to help your team, your clients, your spouse, and the world around you to thrive.
So really important to recognize what’s unique about you. Why? Because it’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing. It’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing your gifts to others, or worse, minimizing your gifts just because they come easily to you. When you do that, you may feel like you’re not measuring up. You end up overworking or overachieving or envying others. So you’re trying to fill a hole that no amount of success can fill, and trust me, I’ve been there.
So God’s calling on your life is unique to you. And it’s specific to the work that He has set before you. And I knew early on, I could never be a Tony Robbins. But some of my fellow coaches, who also trained under Tony with me, shared that they tried to emulate him. And wished. They all wished that they knew what their unique gifts were, instead of trying to be Tony Robbins.
But we all gotta start where we need to start, right? So you might have to emulate and copy someone else because their energy is, you know, is like you admire this quality because that quality is alive in you.
So we gotta start where we need to start. But I just want to point out that embracing your gifts will bring fulfillment, purpose, and impact much, much sooner. And I can’t tell you how much of my own story was shaped by not knowing or expressing my unique gifts. I was just doing what was expected of me, my obligation and responsibilities as a single mom, and that led to burnout and depression, and thankfully to my awakening.
But when I finally awakened to my gifts and began using them in alignment with God’s purpose for me, everything shifted. And so, if you are the type who wants homework, you gotta visit my website when you’re not driving. It should be available right after this podcast, but for now, I’m going to close this message with reminding you that and say it with me: I am God’s masterpiece, uniquely equipped to fulfill my divine purpose in business, life, and leadership. My gifts are unique to me and are powerful, and I embrace them with joy and authenticity.
And so my prayer is this: Lord, thank you for the unique gifts and talents you’ve placed in each and every one of us, and I pray for those stepping into soul-powered leadership that they find clarity on how to use these gifts in their life, in their business, in their leadership, in their relationships, in their health, and their daily lives, to fulfill what they came here to do. Lord help them to awaken to the calling you’ve placed on their lives, and lead with authenticity, purpose, and love.
Thank you all for joining me. That’s day one of 12 days of Christmas, and tomorrow we dive deep into the power of presence. Stay tuned.
Key Themes for Day 1:
- Recognizing Your Divine Gifts: Understand the innate gifts that have been placed within you.
- Stepping into Divine Leadership: Embrace your calling as a leader rooted in authenticity and purpose.
- Healing and Hope: Let go of past wounds and open yourself up to the future with boldness.
Prayer/Affirmation for Day 1
“Lord, thank you for the divine gifts you’ve placed within me. Help me recognize and embrace these gifts with confidence, purpose, and authenticity. May I step into my leadership with love, courage, and clarity, fully aligned with my divine calling. Amen.”
Reflection Exercise:
How do you begin to recognize your gifts?
Start by reflecting on what comes naturally to you. What do people often compliment you on? What talents do you use effortlessly to solve problems, inspire others, or make a difference? These are clues to your divine gifts.
Action Step:
Take a moment today to reflect on your unique gifts. Ask yourself:
- What talents and strengths have I been given?
- How are these gifts showing up in my life—whether in your work, your relationships, or the way you lead others?
- How does it empower you to serve with authenticity and purpose?
- In what ways can I use these gifts to serve others more fully?
Consider if there are any limiting beliefs or fears holding you back from fully embracing your gifts. What would it look like to step beyond those limitations and step into your divine leadership?
Share your insights with us, and let’s inspire each other on this journey of awakening our divine leadership. Together, we can amplify the impact of these gifts in the world.
Want to Go Deeper?
If you feel called to explore your gifts and step into your soul-powered leadership with personalized guidance, I invite you to schedule a free discovery call. Together, we can dive deeper into your unique gifts and create a path forward that aligns with your divine calling.
Click here to book your session.