We live in a world that constantly bombards us with ideas on how we should live, who we should be, and what we should wear, think and do. These images of the “perfect” life surround us. They’re everywhere, from the moment we enter this earth to the time we leave. In this world of constant marketing and external noise, how easy it can be to forget who we truly are and the life we wish to live. The greatest challenge often becomes remaining true to our authentic selves amidst these distractions.
How then do we rise above these external pressures and live life authentically? How do we be what we came here to be: our most authentic selves? By taking the time to pause and listen to our inner voice, and check in with our selves on a daily basis.
While this sounds simple, learning who we truly are and connecting with that deeper part of us so we can be our most authentic selves, takes time and deep rumination—and sometimes, years of evolution. It’s an ever-evolving journey, one that's filled with twists and turns and plenty of surprises, but one that is truly uplifting and fulfilling, once we allow ourselves to dive deeply into it.
How to Be Your Authentic Self
Here are some strategies that continue to help me along the way to living life authentically!
- Listen to Your Inner Voice: We all have a voice deep within us that guides us in the right direction. Our intuition, our Inner Compass, our Guide, or whatever you wish to call it. Learn to listen to this voice and heed its guidance. Take time to pause and enter a space of uninterrupted silence so you can hear this gentle voice within. Learn to recognize and trust it. Tip: One way I’ve learned to trust and recognize my intuition is through free writing. I sit in a quiet space with my journal and ask myself a question that I’m looking for the answer to, and simply write without thinking or caring about grammar or spelling mistakes. I write for as long as my hand flows without trying to comprehend what I’m writing. Like all things, this becomes easier with practice, but I find I’m able to best hear my Inner Guide in this way.
- Know What Makes Your Heart Smile. For it is here that the secrets to your joy and passion lie. Ask yourself the difficult questions: Who am I? Who do I want to be? How do I want to live? Is my life aligned with my core beliefs? What are those beliefs and what do they mean to me? What do I value? What brings me great joy? What makes me come alive?! What doesn’t? Tip: Spend time with yourself and these questions and allow the answers to arise. They will help you to discern what it is that aligns with you, and who you truly are and wish to be. Once you know this, it’s much easier to figure out how to create a life that is authentic to you, one step, one change, one answer at a time.
- Make Conscious Decisions: Once you know what makes your heart smile, what brings you great joy and inner peace, intend to make conscious decisions that align with those things, and therefore align with who you truly are. Most importantly, learn to say no to the things that don’t. Tip: These choices aren’t always easy ones, but they are necessary to living a life true to you!
- Tune In: Take time to tune in to your inner feelings and thoughts throughout your day. Pause in challenging situations before responding. Give yourself a moment to connect with your innate sense and allow it to guide you. We cannot hear its wisdom if we don’t take the time to stop and truly listen. Tip: You’ll know you're on the right path when you start to feel fulfilled by what you're doing rather than drained by it.
- Be Unapologetically You! Once you discover who you are and what aligns with you, live that truth unapologetically. Not everyone will get it—or even like and support it—but they don’t need to. The only thing that matters is that you stay true to you and release the need to be anything or anyone else. Tip: Own who you are and what makes you happy, and surround yourself with people who will celebrate your journey with you.
- Trust Yourself + Have Faith in What You Know: At the end of the day, no one can tell us who we are, what we need, or what can truly make us happy. Have faith in yourself and trust that you know what’s right for you. Take the time to listen to your soul and know that it will always guide you in the best direction for you. Tip: Each of our paths here are our own, and our journeys unique. We are the only ones who can walk our path. Trust that you’ll know which roads to take and that you’ll learn and grow from any obstacles along the way. Believe in yourself and you will not be led astray. Remember, there are no accidents in this Universe.
- Allow Yourself to Grow: Who we are and what aligns with us is a constant evolution and journey. What holds true for us today may not be the case tomorrow. Know this. Allow yourself to evolve and grow. Check in with your self, your beliefs and values, and what makes you happy often, and allow yourself to grow and change with the tides. Tip: Continue to ask yourself the difficult questions and take a moment to deconstruct your life. Are you living the life you think you are? Is your life aligned with your deepest joy and what makes you happy? If not, take some time to honestly and genuinely face the answers that arise and recreate your life to align with you. With each answer, you’re one step closer to being authentically you!
I truly believe that we all come here with a unique Purpose, with a special gift to offer this world. But it can only be accomplished by allowing ourselves to be authentically, and unapologetically, us. Take the time to dive deep within and unleash your inner Light so you too can share it with the world. Because the world needs all of our Lights to shine the way they are meant to: uniquely, beautifully, and authentically true 🌟
Love + Light,
~Smita :)