Thursday, July 05, 2007

Ten steps to living with Authenticity

When I was doing my massive clear up last week, I came across 'ten steps to living with authenticity' which a friend had given me. She has no idea who wrote these, or where they came from, but I had them up on my wall for a couple of years until the paper got so dog-earred I took them down. I have now typed them up again so I can put them back up on my wall and I thought it would be good to share them.
Comments gratefully received, especially if anyone knows who wrote these wise words.
Ten steps to living with authenticity


1. Distinguish between the important stuff and the pettiness that can slow you down, take away your focus, and sabotage your success. Strive to be the very best you can be, but cut yourself some slack and do the same for those you love. Save the drama for the stage.

2. Discover your passion! The Universe has a plan for your life that is so much greater you could imagine or devise. Listen to your gut instincts and follow your inner voice.

3. Relinquish the need for approval. Believe in yourself – you are entitled to dress, walk and talk anyway you choose, regardless of anyone else’s opinion. Confidence comes from within, so remember: Fake it until you make it.

4. Be accountable for everything you say and do. Face your truest fears and refuse to burden someone else with your issues.

5. Set strong, but loving boundaries. If someone’s continually trying to hurt you, control you, or disrespect you, they have issues and you don’t need to own their ‘garbage’.

6. Release the desire to control the outcome. Change the things you can and accept the things you can’t.

7. Practise forgiveness. We’re all human and we all mistakes so choose to let go of resentment and shame. Love with an open and compassionate heart.

8. Demand your worth, while refusing to manipulate others for your own personal gain. Speak with truth, refrain from gossip and maintain your integrity.

9. Have faith in a Higher Power. No matter how difficult life may seem every experience is a lesson for growth, so seize the day and make the choice to move forward.

10. Know who you are and what you want for your life. Realise that you alone are enough. You are worthy of all that life has to offer and live fearlessly.

3 comments:

Jen said...

I don't know how wrote them, but they sound sound, if you know what I mean.

I'm reading the power of Now at the moment which has some similar sentiments. It is certainly making me look at life in a new way.

Occasional Poster of Comments said...

I've just read 'The Divided Self' by R.D. Laing. Well, most of it. Anyway, it was hugely eye-opening. I suddenly make sense to myself. That's never happened before. And this post you commented on a while back suddenly made so much more sense too. I know exactly why I get like that now. In fact, I saw my-self so clearly laid bare in the first two-thirds of that book, that I could suddenly see how to be myself again, and connect with the world. Turns out I'm really quite schizoid. Or I have been. And now I know that, I can sort of see the way out again. I've even found myself writing a blogpost saying "I'm happy". I never thought I'd do that - most out of character :)

Anyway, that might all just be me. But I suddenly thought to look at that post again, saw your comment and thought it might be worth mentioning. If only because it has me feeling better than I possibly ever have. Of course, now I feel so alive that I can't sleep*... but you can't have everything :)

*I only finished reading it this afternoon. Well, sort of. I might read the last third of it too, sometime, but it wasn't so relevant.

Candy said...

"Relinquish the need for approval."

that's a big one for me, especially as a younger sibling who's spent much of her life being told what to do!!

thanks for sharing!

/candy
http://www.carrieanddanielle.com