“Many women today feel a sadness we cannot name. Though we accomplish much of what we set out to do, we sense that something is missing in our lives and – fruitlessly – search “out there” for the answers. What’s often wrong is that we are disconnected from an authentic sense of self”
-Dr. Emily Hancock, American psychologist and author
Becoming your authentic self. It sounds like an amazing concept, but what does it actually mean? Authentic by definition means not false or copied, but genuine and real. Unfortunately, finding anything or anyone that is genuine, real or original is a challenge these days. The world seems to be filled with mostly more of the same.
So going on this self discovery journey will mean breaking from the pack. A frightening proposition, because some people in your life may not be happy with this new authentic you. I have found that this is a small price to pay for the self love, acceptance and peace I have gained by journeying inward to find out who I really am.
One book that has helped me a lot in my journey is “Simple Abundance” by Sarah Ban Breathnach. It offers daily inspiration and practical advice for women to help them discover what makes them truly happy.
One of my favorite passages from her book is called Once Upon A Time You Trusted Yourself. In it, she says to find a photograph of when you were ten years old. She recommends putting it in a pretty frame and putting it on your desk where you can see it often. She says that when you were ten you trusted yourself and your instincts. At this age, you weren’t influenced by other people as much, or concerned about what they thought about you. You knew exactly what clothes you liked to wear, you were confident in your abilities and in who you were. You also had no problem letting other people see the real you. Try to think back to when you were that age. What did your room look like? What friends did you have? How did you feel about yourself? Did you trust yourself? What did you like to eat? What were your dreams? Try to get in touch with this beautiful ten year old being, because she is your authentic self. This is a great place to begin your journey inward.
Another tool that has helped me with my self discovery “dig” is pinterest. I know a lot of people use pinterest as a storage place for their next decor project or for party ideas, and this is great, but pinterest is also an excellent tool to get to know yourself better.
Begin by starting a fashion board and pin outfits that you like, not ones that are trending or in style, but ones that feel like you.
Or how about a travel board where you pin all the places that make you feel butterflies in your stomach. (This is your authentic self speaking to you.)
Create a board called quotes and pin quotes that make you feel good, or ones that inspire and give you hope.
Start another board called Decor and pin home furnishings and accessories that you would put in a house in which you live alone, do not take anyone else’s opinion in to account. (you’ll be surprised how your choices change, when you think it will a place just for you)
In addition to the boards I mentioned, I also have boards for art, books, food, health & wellness, romance, relaxation and more.
Take some time and pin to these boards for awhile. Then, look back over everything that you’ve pinned and you will see what gives you joy in your life.
This is a subject I am passionate about and I will be sharing more on it in the future, but I hope this will give you a place to start your inner journey. Happy self-reflection and exploration – today is the beginning of a wonderful journey!
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