Who are you, really?

I have used the term "authentic self" many times. I thought I would tell you what that means to me. What it means is that you tap into the real you! The you that you were supposed to be.

Many times when we get caught up into life, we change. We turn into people that suit the life we fall into. Not because that's bad but maybe because we thought thats what we wanted. We adapt and lose the essence of what makes us unique and great.

Being your authentic self can be traced to memories of you in your childhood. Do you have memories of the childhood passions that you used to enjoy? Do you remember yourself happy without a care in the world? What were you doing when you see yourself in that scene?

I have a memory of myself at the pool when I was about 5 years old. I remember the sun was shining and I can't remember anyone else there (even though I know they were). I was tired from swimming and I hoisted myself up from the side wall of the pool. I didn't go to the stairs, it was more fun to use my arms. I remember I didn't look for a towel to dry off with, I just laid down on the warm concrete right next to the edge of the pool. I laid with my stomach to the ground and rested my head to the side. The sun warmed my back as my bathing suit and skin dried off.

A simple memory but also a powerful reminder of the uncomplicated joys in life that we never experience anymore. This little girl that I was, didn't care about how her body looked. She only cared about the fun and the warmth of the sun. This was my authentic self. This was the authentic Heather, pure and simple!

If a precious jewel accidentally fell into the mud, you would have to slowly chip away at the dirt, facet by facet, until you uncovered the precious and shining jewel hidden within. Healing is like chipping away at the attitudes, beliefs, memories, worries and stresses that obscure the precious core of who you are—the authentic you—the priceless jewel within that is deserving and ready to heal. Some parts of you are already shining through, while other parts lie waiting to be uncovered. Healing is the process of revealing your authentic self—the precious core of who you are—worthy, lovable and made in the Divine image. -author unknown

Becoming our authentic selves must happen by understanding what was lost. In tracing our steps back to the days when we can see ourselves happy and carefree. When we didn't decide to fit into a mold of what people needed us to become.

When you capture that image, then you need to purposefully hold it in your thoughts. You need to write it down somewhere so that you can relate to that piece of you again.

As the quote says, some parts are shining through already. This is true. I know that my authentic self is showing up here and there. I know that we all have our natural strengths. I believe this is bits of our authentic lives shining through the mud on us. But when you see many road blocks like addictions or bad habits and behaviors (mud) in your current life, then you are playing out the disconnection from your authentic self. You are mourning the loss of that person by constantly seeking something to fill his/her void.

In Remarkable Recovery, Marc Ian Barash and Caryle Hirshberg examined the characteristics of patients who experienced spontaneous remissions from cancer or who lived beyond the expectations of doctors. What they found was that the one most compelling quality of those patients graced by miraculous healings was “congruence.” They defined congruence as a way for patients to be “deeply true to themselves, manifesting a set of behaviors growing from the roots of their being.”

If you are not reaching the level of health and well-being you desire, ask yourself if you are being true to yourself. Do your behaviors grow from the roots of your being? Are you living your very own life? Or, are you trying to live the life everyone else wants you to live? You can’t heal and develop your fullness of expression, if you don’t know who the real you is. You can’t live your very own life if you are too busy living someone else’s life. -Body, Soul, Connection Website

Finding the truthfulness and honesty that came with being a child and recapturing it, is the freedom that we need to unlock the cage that enslaves us to any of our vices or illnesses. We cannot be great, if we don't know our authentic selves. When we know our authentic selves, we are free. Confidence comes when we get in tune with the spirit inside us. The spirit inside us that is living there right now, but may be covered in mud because we don't recognize it anymore. It starts with finding the simple joys again and letting your spirit remember! Then get real (as Dr. Phil would say). Let that spirit take flight within the light of God. Learn who that spirit really is. Remember yourself again and then go act like that person. Before you know it, you will begin to see your mud wash off. Oh then how beautiful you will be... a shiny precious jewel again.... ready to live life in a shiny, precious way!!!!!!