I was ecstatic when I found out about the authentic relating movement, originated from the US. The word "authentic" resonates with me and I want to dedicate this first blog post on what it means to me.
I started my self actualization journey 3.5 years ago, when I started asking questions about my identity and my purpose in life. The thing is, when I asked these questions, I was focusing on the future, where I want to go. However, what I neglected, was looking at my current state.
I attended a 5 day transformational leadership workshop in Charlotte, North Carolina where we did a charting exercise about our ups and downs of our entire lives. I was shocked. These early memories were filled with rejection, fear, shame and guilt, and I carried them subconsciously into my adult life.
I constantly felt like I am a fraud, filled with insecurities and constantly adjusting myself to please or impress others. (We will leave the why to another post - on the challenge for females to be authentic)
Once I was aware, these emotions fully surfaced. Past that was hurtful to think about. I did not even realise how unhappy I was deep inside, though things may seem great on the outside.
When the mind and heart is not aligned, that is in-authenticity and source of unhappiness.
Once I was aware, now I have choices to address these issues, so I can move forward with authenticity and greater happiness.
Authenticity is the congruence of body, heart and spirit. It is the ability to distinguish a desire from a should, an authentic desire from one which is related to fear, an intuition from a fear, a feeling from a thought, a thought from a belief, an original thought from an unoriginal one. THAT, takes a lot of work to look within. Many times, guidance and questioning from a life coach would help this massive unpeeling of the many layers inside us.
But, let's start with awareness. Are you in touch with your feelings? Do you really mean what you say? Are you aware of what you are doing or you are just going about your day, like you think everybody else should?
If you are curious and ready to explore more about yourself, contact us at hello@cottongrassco.com for a non-obligatory discussion.