Searching For An Authentic Life

Permission To Dream.
We all have aspirations and dreams we would love to see materialize but how much thought do we really give them? For many of us focusing on what we haven’t got is easy however considering what may be possible is somewhat less natural. After all, there is no point dreaming about what may not happen right? Wrong! For a start how can we lead an authentic life if we are not taking the time to be honest to ourselves? If we were to candidly asses what it is in life we truly desire, searching our define needs and determine our real priorities as opposed to what just distracts us, we give ourselves the quality to not only to be genuine but we empower ourselves with the tools that can generate a fulfilling life, opening our minds to the opportunities that can materialise what appears to be unreachable dreams.

How do we put ourselves in touch with our authentic self and give our dreams a chance?
Many of us do not know ourselves as well as we would like to think. How is that possible you may ask? Most of us lead busy, or should I say hectic lives. We are constantly being distracted by the demands of our eventful existence. Not knowing what it is that truly makes us happy results in living a life dictated by events rather than an authentic evaluation. Who are you really? Do you know what you really want? Have you taken the time to get in touch with all the little things that make you happy? Have you made enough plans for yourself? Or have you given up on what is that is important to you because you just don’t have the time right now or you feel it is selfish?

It is often perceived as either lazy or selfish to take time to just think about things. We can be seen to be wasting time just doing nothing. The way of the world is to keep busy and keep moving however a balanced life requires the opposite to this too. Contrary to the belief that we are wasting time thinking rather than doing, reflection often results in problem solving, personal development and a more authentic lifestyle. Reflection can rouse inspiration resulting in energised productivity. It is quite acceptable and definitely healthy to spend an allocated time daily to reflect, unwind or start the day quietly with no distractions. A better day is ensured with a clear and focused mind. Neglecting this time robs us of direction, awareness and correction, peace, and productivity. The people around us also benefit by this practice. Next time you feel guilty for claiming a bit of quiet time for yourself acknowledge that it is healthy for others too. People need our time but we can be more to others when we are more to ourselves. If we neglect ourselves we are offering less of ourselves to others.

Searching our hearts and giving us permission to dream is essential to happiness. How can we find what it is that we truly desire if we haven’t even recognised it? How can we know what our dreams look like if we are blindly distracted all the time? Becoming familiar with our authenticity allows us to be receptive to the opportunities that materialise our dreams. Opportunities are too easily missed if our priorities are confused. Reflection is not something done in haste nor is it something we should be doing on the odd occasion. As we evolve so do our dreams and our goals change so we need to keep in touch. We can do a stock take on our deepest desires; the ones that say to us “this is important to me and this is where I really want to go.” reflecting on what really makes our hearts sing. What better way to empower us to achieve more for ourselves or for others?

It is universal not-so-secret secret for an entrepreneur to reflect, evaluate and focus on their ultimate goal regularly. Yes they aim high and yes they get there too. So what makes them such a success with their chosen dream? My observation is that they follow this approach however more importantly they are absolutely relentless when it comes to staying focused on their goals. There is no big secret to achieving more for us other than following the same approach for ourselves? So are all entrepreneurs happy? No but are the unhappy ones focused on authentic dreams?

Maybe up until now you never saw the importance of inner reflection and planing your future or maybe your busy life has distract your mind and inevitably detoured you in a very different direction. Remember

• STOP, ASSESS, WRITE IT DOWN & STAY TUNED IN!

Stop long enough to listen to our inner needs and desires, jot down what they are and what you want in your future and tune into these dreams by putting them in front of you and having a little faith in the possibilities. Paste them to your mirror or anywhere they will be read regularly. You deserve to be happy so get familiar with your desires and worry about how to achieve them later as opportunities will appear and at the very minimum, some of your hopes will become reality.

To Sum Up:

• What do you really want in your life and what do you want to achieve today, this week, this year, in five years and in ten years from now?
  
  
• What can you eliminate from your life that is distracting you unnecessarily and inhibiting you from achieving what you truly desire?
  
  
• What can you do today to start living more authentically, more honestly?
  
  
• What is holding you back and how can you change that if only in baby steps.
  
  
• Have you made a list of the things that you enjoy so you can remind yourself to do them more often?
  
  
• Could you write across your diary “reflection time” to remind yourself to do just that.