When was the last time you allowed yourself to be seen? I am not talking about making appearances. I am talking about when was the last time you gave yourself permission to be exactly who you are, without fear of how others might perceive or judge you?
This is a call for the ones who are unsure. The wallflowers. The nervous nellies. The people who go out of their way to please others so much that they’ve stopped living a life of their own. This is for the ones who stay in abusive relationships because they can’t envision themselves as worthy. This is for the souls who have stifled their existence and squeezed themselves into tiny little boxes in hopes that nobody will see them. This is for the ones who believe that being themselves is the most frightening thing that they can do.
It is time to stop hating your existence and it is a time to take inventory of all of the hate that we litter like trash onto our psyches. To begin to shower ourselves with the love, compassion, and understanding that we so desperately need. Now is a time to get real and grant ourselves permission to live an authentic life.
Authenticity is the courage to rest in the truth of who we are in this very moment. It is a daily practice and the willingness to live in our truth. Wearing that shirt, living through this very day, breathing in this same air. Just. As. We. Are.
It is taking ownership of your story. I’m not referring to the stories that we have so cleverly weaved from our pasts. Or the identities that other people may have conjured up for you. I’m talking about the story that you know to be true. Our thoughts create our realities. Whatever we think and perceive becomes our truth, and from this truth creates our perspective on the world. It is from this perspective that we live our day to day lives. We treat our beliefs like little puppets and we make them come alive. Our self hatred can be like a self fulfilling prophecy if we allow it. Which story will you choose to believe in?
Have you noticed yourself subconsciously reaching, stretching, pushing to be more? Maybe it seems that who you are never seems to be adequate enough. This creates a great resistance in our lives, a vacancy in the center of our being. We have lost authenticity like an ancient relic buried in deep layers of earth. We forget what it feels like. Yet when we see someone shine with the light of their truth, it is the feeling that makes you want to leap up from your seat as your heart pangs with excitement. We recognize it and it feels like home.
Living an authentic life takes courage. It is rewiring our minds so that we’re able to relinquish dusty old beliefs about ourselves. Here are a few steps to cultivating a more authentic you:
1. Release and evolve. Give up all limiting beliefs that you have about yourself. These may have came from other people, past experiences etc. Release the labels that you have of yourself. Teacher, mother, artist, gamer, chef, etc. Embrace these labels and then LET THEM GO…what will be left is YOU. Forgive yourself for believing into the false illusions. Forgive yourself for forgetting your magic. Embrace it for what it was—-and let go.
2. Remember that your idea of happiness will not look the same as somebody else's. Embrace your own version of contentment, whatever that may be…and OWN it.
3. Daily commitments. Great changes happen in small incremental shifts over time. Combat self sabotaging thoughts with real and loving thoughts. Do something nice for yourself. Start today. Quit eating crappy food. Stop hanging around with low vibrational people. Get a good night’s sleep. Try a green smoothie for crying out loud, they’re delicious. Be your own best friend. You can learn how to do this. One baby step after the other.
4. Tune inward. Wrestle yourself down indian style or sitting up straight in a chair, whatever you like…but just meditate already. Being still and breathing into your body allows you to hear the real story of what’s happening on the inside. After awhile of practicing this you begin to cultivate awareness of your subtle body. You become mindful of the crazy that happens in your head. This allows you to get real with your self sabotaging patterns that can and will keep showing up in less obvious ways like procrastination, avoidance, perfectionism etc. Keep coming back to your breath. Breathe and receive.
5. Check yourself before you wreck yourself. Ask yourself: “Am I staying true to myself or am I choosing fear?” Watch yourself the next time you say something that you don’t believe, or find yourself pretending to be what you’re not. Check yourself. Rewind. And begin again. Show up and speak your truth. It is not any of your business what other people think of you…and really…who cares? You are doing the world no favor by dimming your light.
6. Own your story. Do all things without a worry of how others might perceive or judge you. You’re not here to impress the world. You’re here to exist as the best version of yourself. And I'm telling you, the best version of yourself emerges when you’re living day to day, doing things that align with your heart. You do you.
At first, practicing authenticity might be as foreign to you as learning a new language. But after awhile, like anything else that’s new, it begins to soften in. Time passes and life opens up creating room for it. Authenticity occurs gradually from our willingness to show up and be seen. Wake up everyday in gratitude. Wear self appreciation and respect like a badge of honor…and hope tucked behind your ear. Your best version of you inspires others to stand up and be seen. And that my friend, is where the magic is.
