The word unapologetic can at first glance have a negative undertone. I am not talking about showing up and treating people how ever you want to, without concern or empathy for how you are potentially harming others and just having a cold perspective of "I am who I am". What I am speaking to is getting to know and connecting with your highest, most authentic self. Releasing painful traumas and patterns that no longer serve us, examine our values and beliefs to connect with our purpose and passions and then with an aligned authentic energy of love and being of service to all, just SHOW UP as you are. It may look differently than you expect or what other expect from you and knowing that that is ok. It's more than ok, it is beautiful.
How often do you allow your thoughts, words and actions to be guided by how you believe others perceive you? How often have you let your perception of what others may or may not think of you, determine the choices you made? We have all been there. When we decide to start living life on our terms is when the fun begins! When we use our relationships and personal experiences as an opportunity to connect to our values, examine where we are and how we are showing up, we are showing up as our most authentic self. How do we know when we have "done all the work" or "gotten there"? The truth is that we are never done, and we never arrive. Every day is an opportunity to get to peel back another layer and get to know ourselves a little better. Getting in-tune with ourselves and knowing our personal truth is an ongoing experiment but the more you quiet your mind and body to hold space and listen, we can begin to recognize the whispers and when we start listening on a regular basis, that is when the real magic happens!
We have all heard of and/or experienced "Imposter Syndrome". When we begin to look at life through the lens of transformation and infinite possibilities, it can feel exciting and empowering yet at the same time we can be filled with fear and self-doubt. Imposter syndrome is an internal belief that you are not as competent as others perceive you to be. All this is, is a story your inner critic has created. Practicing challenging and silencing this false perception by grounding into your strengths and taking inventory of all the tangible proof that supports the contrary truths, can soften and eventually silence this voice. Or at the very least, with practice, you can get to a place hear the voice and just decide to take just one right action that proves that negative self-belief wrong and in doing so, rewire the neurological pathway to a fact driven perspective based on tangible facts.
Connecting with and honoring our inner child is a great place to start. When we connect with and honor our inner child, we can use our past to gain insight into our current emotional needs. We can deepen our healing journey and better know who we came into this world as before our life's experiences began forming how we show up for ourselves and others. Think back to your childhood. What did you love to do? What brought you the most joy? Being able to connect with the innocence and joy of childhood can be a gateway into healing and remembering who we authentically are.
Radical body acceptance is another layer of showing up authentically as you are. When we can truly love, appreciate and accept our body, as it is today, in the here and now, we gift ourselves with the freedom from distraction of hyper fixating on our physical body which allows us to be more present. A big part of this process requires stepping back and acknowledging all the factors that shaped our potentially limiting body image beliefs we hold. The good news is that we can break free from these influences and liberate ourselves! When we view ourselves with compassion and curiosity, and tune into our essence, we can remind ourselves that we are so much more than just our body. When we are nourishing ourselves on a multidimensional level; mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual, we can more easily feel our whole authentic self and come to love, care for and appreciate the body we were gifted with. Taking the time to deconstructing limiting beliefs are important to open up our full potential. Gaining perspective as to what these are and where they come from, is an important part of our journey so we can shift our thoughts and behaviors to a positive and supportive place that supports our personal transformation.
Beliefs, values and our personal experiences greatly shape our purpose. It is also a fluid and ever evolving process and will look different to everyone. When we create space with intention, we open ourselves to the opportunity to find our spark that will ignite our journey within.
When we uncover and connect with our purpose, we have the opportunity to create a deeply meaningful and fulfilling life. Using our gifts and passions to be of service to others creates a ripple effect of love and support for the greater good. This is an important aspect to finding optimal health and happiness. When we connect with and embrace the things in life that tap into what makes us feel most like our authentic self, we can inspire others to do the same.
Connecting with innate knowledge of ourselves and aligning with our truths, allow us to create a reality built on conditions that allow us to thrive! Getting to know and then honoring our bio-individual mental, physical, emotional and spiritual needs, often isn't an easy road but will always be fulfilling. When we take the time to get to know and nourish ourselves, it is an act of self-love and builds self-trust. When we take the time to get in touch with the deeper, more suppressed aspects of ourselves we can regulate and release that which no longer serves us and improve our overall health and happiness.
“A man with outward courage dares to die; a man with inner courage dares to live.” ~ Lao Tzu
Unapologetically being ourselves means knowing we are a work in progress. Knowing that we are doing our best with the information and understanding we have available to us in the present moment. It means we are putting attention and intention behind our words and actions that align with our core values. It means falling down and making mistakes and being vulnerable, knowing it is the journey to understanding ourselves in a new way. It is the deep understanding that we are all here on our own journeys and only we can connect with the path that is calling us. It is believing and trusting our intuition and following our gut. It means honoring ourselves and not allowing the perceived thoughts and feelings of others to deter us from what we know is right for us. It means not allowing societal norms make us shy away from a way of living that seems to call to us no matter how hard we try to ignore it. Show up as you are and do your best. You are the only you and this is the only lifetime you have, to embody the energy you have been gifted into this world with. Do not waste it!
Rumi said it best, may we all "Shine like the whole universe is yours."
Go out there and shine! There can never be too much light in the world!
All the love,
Pamela
So much wisdom from you Pam. I have learned so much from being your friend. <3 Keep doing what you are doing, the world appreciates your magic more than you know..