The past year has been a year of ups and downs. Sometimes it felt like a lot more downs than ups. This is a strange phenomenon though as I achieved my the biggest goals that I set out to complete this year. The fact that even after achieving my main goals, I had this feeling of not succeeding in much this year turned my focus towards my insides. I’m not talking blood and guts, I’m talking about my gray matter. My brain. I’m referring to what causes a crazy roller coaster ride of emotions.
This year I have read (and listened) to a lot about business and about being happy too. With the prupose in mind of finding my way in life. The books that had the greatest impact on me were;
- The Happiness project by Gretchin Rubin
- Essentialism by Greg McKeown
- #AskGaryVee by Gary Vaynerchuk
- Girl Code by Cara Alwill Leyba
- Steal Like an Artist by Autin Kleon
- Lilac Girls by martha Hall Kelly (This is a book of fiction, but I had to sneak it into this list as it’s a life-changing read. This book made me thankful for everything I am and have in life)
Today, Matt shared this article with me. Halfway through reading the article (right about where he talks about ‘your puppet master’ and ‘your authentic voice) I decided I needed to share this article for other awesome people to also read. And, here I am now contemplating all the article mentioned.
The idea of the authentic voice really resonated with me
I have lost my authentic voice this year, and possibly even before this year (slowly but surely and then what was left of my authentic voice just dissappeared completely this year).
Ironically, being someone who loves Pilates, I spend a lot of time and focus on my core. But, this article has shown me that my core is not in fact my abs, pelvic floor, and multifidus. Nope, my core is in fact way deeper than that. My core is the part of me that will keep me standing in the toughest of situations. My core is what keeps me strong instead of fragile. My core will help me stand up for myself, help me know who I am. My core is my authentic voice.
I have spent quite some time ‘getting to know my authentic voice’ through a lot of soul searching this year, which I wrote about over here, and over here, and here . But, even though I know what I want to do. I seem to suffer from a huge case of being accountable to a puppet master, something I am changing as of today.
No one cares about you as much as you do
A tough lesson I have learned this is year is that no one really cares about you, like you do. And no one ever will. It doesn’t matter how amazing your support system may be, no one really ‘gets’ you like you do. So, wouldn’t that mean that you should have your own back? Accept that you get you and so you should focus on yourself. That’s what I’m going to do.
Other people may not see my dream as I see it. But, they don’t need to. Only I need to focus on my dream. Only I can make my dreams come true.
You don’t need anybodies permission to be you
Doesn’t this just sound so simple? Well it is. It damn-well is. You have all permission to be you, because you know what? You are pretty damn awesome and super unique. (I’m talking to myself here, but this is aimed at you too my friend).
We only live one life, right? So why try live someone else’s life? Instead focus on creating your one awesome life today.
I have been so scared of what other people will think
This year, my year of “finding-myself” I have started and stopped so many different things (this is where I would usually insert the monkey emoticon with his hands over his eyes). I feel bad for stopping things. Every time I start something and then stop it a month later, I feel as if I’m giving up, as if i’m worthless. Deep down, I know I’m not worthless though. I don’t actually give up because, in all honesty, I never really started. I know right now you’re reading this thinking, huh? Hear me out.
I say I never started because everything I have strated I started for someone else (not that they even realised this, or cared in all cases) so I never put 100% of my effort into anything I started because it wasn’t truly what I wanted to do.
Remember this!
In this article Matt shared with me there were a few sentences that meant so much more than a few words strung together. These sentences are going on my vision board for 2017 and I will be looking at them every day to remind me to stay true to myself. They are:
- Almost nothing you’re socially scared of is actually scary.
- When you give someone a paintbrush and canvas, but the paint is the same exact color as the canvas, they can paint all they want, but they won’t change anything.
So?
Be you this year! I am going to be me. I am going to be unique. I am going to follow my heart and my passions. I am going to be strong and keep my head up. This year will be filled with magic, dreams, and a little bit of madness too. I will read books, and sing songs. I will create art. And, I will surprise myself.
Don’t you think you owe yourself at least that much too?
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