Uncovering Your Authentic Self

by Lisa Martin -

Seek Your Truth: 

Discovering and living a life of success and balance, means orienting yourself around your truth. It is not always easy to be honest.

I once read an article that said on average people tell about 7 lies an hour. I remember being quite shocked by that claim believing that it couldn’t possibly be true. But as I began to think about it, I realized that I did tell “little white lies” more than I thought.

Mostly because I wanted to spare others’ feelings or I felt by being truthful I made myself too vulnerable. When I dug a little deeper, I was amazed to learn that some of the biggest lies I’d ever told had been to myself. Perhaps it was a self-protective measure. But clearly when I hid from the truth, I made decisions that pushed my life in a direction that did not serve me.

We are so busy that we often do not listen to or tell our truth. 

Many of us just skim the surface of our lives. Our everyday motions fill our lives up, yet we feel unfulfilled.

By not paying attention to our inner wisdom, our truth center, we are unsure of what is really important to us: what makes us tick and brings us joy.

So, how do you become brutally honest with yourself?

The four C’s: Courage, Caring, Change and Commitment

• COURAGE 

Seeking the truth about your own life takes courage. Asking tough questions and answering them truthfully is essential, even though the outcome may be surprising and scary. Taking stock of the inventory of your life is a daring, bold initiative.

• CARING 

Accept the results of this quest with an open mind and caring heart. Go easy on yourself. When you begin excavating your true self it can sometimes be painful. You might have some regrets, notice missed opportunities or come to the realization that some things just have to change.

• CHANGE 

It is normal to feel some personal upheaval and adjustment going through this process. It is important to maintain objectivity. 

For example, if you discover you have not been spending as much time with your child(ren) as you’d like, do not beat yourself up. Instead acknowledge your truth and devise a plan to start living it. This doesn’t necessarily mean making a dramatic transformation immediately. 

Being open to change and aligning your life with your authentic self is key. Just start with small steps like leaving the office in time to be home for dinner or spending a weekend afternoon with your child. The most difficult part is beginning the process of change. Once underway, change creates its own momentum.

• COMMIT 

Finally, commit to seek, speak and live your truth on a daily basis. Create the space to tap into your inner wisdom. That could take the form of meditation, journaling or communing with nature. I invite you to carve out some time each day to connect with your truth. The result will be life enhancing.

Make Your Move 

Use your journal to uncover your authentic self. Take some quiet time to answer these questions. What do you really believe to be true about yourself? Who are you at your very core? Who are you when no one is looking? What brings you joy? Is this the way you want things to be? What would you change, if anything?

How can the four C’s: courage, caring, change and commitment work for you? 

Be candid. Be honest.

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