Written by: Debbie Gill, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
When I got sober on June 6, 2000, I began to hear many slogans, none of which affected me more significantly than Polonius's "To thine own self be true" from Shakespeare's Hamlet. It was vital to restore honesty in my life and thereby learn acceptance. I learned to accept myself, and by doing so, I became authentic.
Being true to yourself means you are authentic.
How do you know if you are authentic? Certain aspects or qualities are indicative of inauthenticity. See if any of these resonate with you:
Are you a people pleaser or a perfectionist?
Are you judgmental, or do you manipulate people?
Are you overconfident or cocky?
Are you able to express your feelings and emotions without hesitation or fear?
Have you faced your fears?
Do you say one thing and do another?
Are you truthful in all areas of your life?
Do you learn from your mistakes, or do you blame others for them?
Have you found your life purpose?
Do you allow other people to know the "real" you, or do you hide certain parts of yourself that you find unattractive or unacceptable?
For the last question, you may not even be aware you push those aspects down into your subconscious and wonder why you aren't happier, more successful, or more anything than you are. Shadow Work is a powerful tool to uncover those unacceptable aspects. Once brought to the surface, they can be integrated, allowing you to become a whole and balanced person.
"The greatest act of courage is to be and to own all of who you are — without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth of who you are." — Debbie Ford
Learning to be authentic means you must accept all your imperfections as well as the positive aspects you have. It means taking a good look at what is under your hood, or in other words, having deep introspection. It means letting go of any self-seeking and grandiosity you may have.
Developing authenticity is simple but not easy. There are several things you can do to help you bring out the real you. The first thing is to be conscious of your words and actions. Notice when you feel good about them and when you don't. Do you empower others or tear them down to make yourself look better? What feels real? What doesn't? Explore your reactions and see if you can respond instead.
Explore your fears and walk through them. Do you fear failure to such a degree that you don't even try? If so, be comfortable with being uncomfortable and do something you're afraid to do. Be okay with learning how something doesn't work. Walk through that fear and see what happens. You may discover a truth about yourself.
Delete, or dis-create, limiting beliefs that no longer serve you. Core beliefs are indoctrinated in you as a child. No one escapes this. When you identify beliefs that are holding you back, you must get rid of them somehow. You can't just put another belief on top because the old one will come back, just like an unwanted weed. There are various methods for accomplishing this; one of them is the Clear Your Beliefs Program.
To become authentic does require inner work, but the result is priceless. So, my question to you is, "Would you rather go within or go without?"
Debbie Gill, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Debbie Gill is the founder of Go Within Spiritual Coaching and Go Within Yoga. She integrates her knowledge and experience as a spiritual coach and yoga teacher with the wisdom of Caroline Myss, a Medical Intuitive and five-time New York Times bestselling author, Anodea Judith, an expert on the Chakra System, somatic therapy, and yoga, and Lion Goodman, creator of the Clear Beliefs® Process.
As a Certified Clear Beliefs® Coach, Debbie can assist you with clearing core beliefs that hold you back from becoming your true self and living your true purpose through the Clear Beliefs Process® (CBP). The CBP is a set of tools and techniques that frees you from past limitations so you can freely choose your beliefs and live an empowered and more fulfilling life.
Debbie is the author of, Struck by Lightning: My Journey from the Shadow to the Light, where she chronicles her life’s struggles with her shadow aspects and addictions. The spiritual memoir reflects her emergence from the shadow caused by traumatic wounds to the light where truth brings awareness and healing.
A grateful recovering alcoholic since June 6, 2000, she lives the 12-Steps of AA and practices its principles in her daily life, and continues her study at CMED with Myss and Judith, and Goodman.
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