Diane Mottl, MSW said, "Living authentically is not stagnant: it is constantly shifting and taking on new forms. If we truly believe in living an authentic life, then we must continually be learning about ourselves, challenging old beliefs, sorting through our baggage. It is about learning to face fears and doubts, to be able to reach deeply within ourselves to find out what makes our heart sing, our spirit soar. It is finding where our authentic self feels the most alive, free and unburdened — and then having the courage to live from this place."
About a year ago I started challenging myself to live more authentically. It has been tougher than I imagined. My first step was to evaluate my friendships. There were many who I had to trim from my life because the relationship did not have equal value. No longer was I going to be the friend that only got called when that person had nothing else to do. I am not a bottom of the list last resort. It felt good to liberate myself from that heavy weight. Now I spend time with friends who value me equally.
My next goal was to be more honest about myself and not hide behind my education or other positive attributes. As a naturopath, people expect you to be in perfect health with no struggles. It is not true. I am human with flaws. I am more honest about my struggles. Why? Because it makes me not only more truthful but it also makes me more relatable to others who struggle. I am currently in a battle with giving up wheat for good. So I am openly sharing that struggle. Two years ago I would have pretended to be on top it.
The most recent thing I did was brought the joy back to my spiritual practice. Why go to a church that doesn't bring you joy? Maybe it once did. What changed? For me it was no longer about anybody else but me and my God. I was no longer afraid to step away and show myself and my children that change , including spiritual change, was okay. I didn't want to come home and say , "Yes, that was a good message at church, but we don't believe all that." That was a sign to me that it was time to re-evaluate things. My children and I are excited again about our faith. We look forward to going each week, and are meeting new and like minded friends.
Are you ready to be more authentic? What changes can you make to help you be more authentic? Meditate on it and set a goal. Your life will be more free flowing if you do.