Be Kind to Yourself and Live Authentically!

One of the most important and kindest things we can do and live our lives by is authenticity. When we say authentic what do we mean by this? Simply put authenticity is living a life in total congruence with who we are. This may sound like the smallest detail however, the truth is, that the positive impact of being authentic to oneself cannot be overestimated.

What does it mean to live Authentically?

When we live our lives in an authentic way we are being genuine to ourselves. We are being true to our heart and our sole. At its root, authenticity requires self-knowledge and self-awareness. Authentic people accept their strengths and weaknesses. They are accountable. They are connected to their values and desires and act deliberately in ways that are consistent with those qualities.

What are the benefits of living in Authenticity?

Its simple, when we live an authentic life we are full, we are living a life that we love and we are being true to our heart. When we are in the state of authenticity of being ourselves, the benefits to us and that we gain are enormous. We are happier and more contented. Many of us allow joy to enter and stay in our lives when we genuinely feel like we are being true to ourselves. The benefits simply cannot be overstated.

But, how does living in an In-Authentic way happen to us?

When we live a life that is inauthentic, we are essentially living someone else’s life and someone else’s dreams. This can happen when we are eager to please others in our lives, like parents and our friends and partners. We can grow up with everyone’s perceived view of who we are and then subconsciously feel we have to live up to that. This manifests as us being the kid that always wanted to be a Fireman, or an Engineer or a Teacher. As we get older we go through many life changes which make us grow and change, however if we do not recognise this we may even fool ourselves into thinking that’s what we still want for ourselves, and then feel were bound to go ahead with that choice because everyone knows that’s what we have always wanted to do! It also saves us having to spend the time re thinking our futures, perhaps we get comfort from the decision having already been made and this stops fear from creeping in and blocking us.

What happens when we do not live a Life that’s True to Who We Are?

This can manifest in many ways. We can avoid asking ourselves hard questions as we do not want to deal with the honest answer. This is classic Avoidance. This can manifest by us making ourselves very busy so that we do not have time to really look at what is driving us.

In turn we can feel stressed and overwhelmed. We may feel anxiety in the most inappropriate times, we can have no control over this. When you are living a life that is not yours you cannot own it, so you feel out of control over events surrounding you.

We can find it difficult to sleep and suffer sleep deprivation, which further exacerbates the situation. We can have many perceived successes to our friends and family but if we are not being authentic, we will only feel temporary fulfilment which will then turn to the same empty feelings.

When is it time to explore being Authentic for Ourselves?

Now, or at least as soon as we recognise that we are not being true to ourselves then it is time to act! We can keep avoiding dealing with this, but ultimately the sooner we take action the sooner we can really start living the life we were meant to be.

How do we find Our Authentic Life?

Getting still or get moving! Whichever resonates and gives space to explore our thoughts on our values, our beliefs and our goals. Self Awareness and being honest leads to an improved future all of which ensure that we are on the right track to live a life which is full and happy but most importantly authentic to us!

Lisa Burdett Coaching & Counselling - www.lisaburdett.co.uk

#Authentic #BestLife #LifeCoach #SelfEmpowerment