How to Live an Authentic Life

Maintaining a healthy balance between work and life has never been more important than in today’s perceived culture of ‘I’m available 24/7’. I hope you know what I mean by that. 

It seems that regardless of how hard we work and how many hours we put in, those pesky little hand held devices give people access to us any time of the day. What started off with some applications as social, or as I call it private social media, has now made the cross over into business social media.

Most of my work with clients starts off with, well maybe if they’re honest, we get there eventually when they’re ready to admit it, an admission to themselves that the original goals they once set, that dream they once had, has been somewhat derailed. They are now living through someone else’s vision of what their life is now going to be. Sound familiar?

So how do we regain some control of our own destiny and get back to who we are and how do we realign our original purpose?

Are you currently wandering through life with little direction - hoping that you'll find happiness, health and prosperity? If you answered yes and good on you for being honest with yourself, then I hope what follows will give you a steer in the right direction or the starting point in which to continue your journey to health, happiness and prosperity.

1. Find your purpose - Identify your life purpose or mission statement and you will have your own unique compass that will lead you to your true north every time.
2. Know your values - What do you value most? Make a list of your top 5 values. Examples of these might be security, freedom, family, spiritual development, learning.  As you set your goals for 2016/17 - check your goals against your values. If the goal doesn't align with any of your top five values, you may want to reconsider it or tweak it.
3. Understand your needs - Those needs that are unmet can keep you from living authentically. Take care of yourself.  Do you have a personal need to be acknowledged by people, to be right, to be in control, to be loved?  List your top four needs and get them met!
4. Know your passions - Honor those things that make your heart sing.  Whatever it is, do more of it! We all need anchors. Those things in life that we can rely on; places we can go and people we know that ground us and remind us of who we are and where we’re heading.
5. Live from the inside out - Tap into your inner wisdom by regularly reflecting in silence.  Be at one with nature if it helps.  Breathe deeply to silence your mind.
6. Honor your strengths - What are your positive traits?  What special talents do you have?  List three and if you get stuck, ask those closest to you to help identify them. Be brave, we all have something that sets us apart from others. Are you imaginative, witty, and good with your hands?  Find ways to express your authentic self through your strengths.
7. Take time to play - Give yourself time to recharge; doing those things you love to do or by simply just doing nothing.
8. Be aware of your self-talk - Are you blocking your potential?  Here’s a little exercise for you - Check out your first thoughts when you wake tomorrow.   Are they supportive, encouraging or positive?  Choose the kind of chatter that goes on in your mind.  Become aware of the negative messages you give yourself.  Gently catch them and turn them into positive affirmations.
9. Surround yourself with inspiration - Keep a success journal if it helps.  Write down the four or five greatest strengths you have and post them where you can see them. On the last Friday of each month, write down all your accomplishments both large and small.

Serve others - When you live authentically, you may find that you develop an interconnected sense of being.  When you are true to who you are, you live your purpose and are giving of your talents to the world around you, you give back in service what you came to share with others; your spirit, your essence.