Feel Free to Be - written March 28, 2017
Just went through my LinkedIn profile and discovered some old blog posts. Feel Free to Be was written March 28, 2017 and was really the beginning of me finding my voice, my truth and aligning MY life to my VALUES. Very proud of how far I have come in that regard.
The absolute worst advice I ever received was - 'fake it 'til you make it'. In part, because of this, I spent many years living an inauthentic life. That is, a life that did not align with what I believe, value, want, desire, need. As a result, I could never find peace or contentment.
If you look for perfection, you'll never be content. ~ Leo Tolstoy
My journey towards contentment was long and challenging. I had to acknowledge my imperfections, my faults, my shortcomings. I had to become vulnerable. But in so doing, I found that I am a perfectly imperfect human being. And with that realization came the understanding that we are all perfectly imperfect human beings doing the best we can with what we've got. Seeing the humanity in all people allows me to better empathize and connect on a deeper level.
As my journey continued, I began to discover my brilliance - my strengths, truth, power and authenticity. I began listening with my heart instead of my head. My beliefs, values, wants, desires and needs came straight to the forefront. It now became time to align my life with what my heart was saying to me. Every morning, my goal for the day is to take one step closer towards my truth, to speak my truth and to help others find their truths.
Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we're supposed to be and embracing who we are. ~ Brené Brown
With that, let's go back to where we began...feel free to be (period), to be you, to be vulnerable, to be authentic, to be true to who you are, to be your own biggest cheerleader, to be imperfect, to be content, to be vulnerable, to be brilliant, to be an inspiration to others, to be the best version of who you are. And if someone ever tells YOU to 'fake it 'til you make it' - tell them...no thanks.
