Inspirational quotes can be the best little boosts when you’re running out of steam, feeling like you’ve hit a wall, or battling boredom. As much as we’d like to accumulate a laundry list of achievements with ease, it takes a lot of failing and stumbling before we can be victorious. It can be all too easy to get sucked up into our own gloom and doom and we’ve all been there.

So to me, one of the keys to success is being able to refuel your mind when it’s hit empty and having the courage and determination to break through all kinds of obstacles when they get in your way.

Here are five inspirational quotes to start your week off right plus a few tidbits about the known authors. Get ready to lift your spirits and get back onto your exciting path to success and happiness!

“Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain.” Author unknown

There are always going to be little things that get in the way and try to distract us from our end game.  If you can learn to focus on the big picture, it will get easier to keep moving forward and brush all those little pebbles aside.

“Cowardice is a serious vice. Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than one’s fear. The timid presume it is lack of fear that allows the brave to act when the timid do not. But to take action when one is not afraid is easy. To refrain when afraid is also easy. To take action regardless of fear is brave.” Ambrose Redmoon (James Neil Hollingworth)

This quote was written by Hollingworth under his pen name Ambrose Redmoon. He was a man of many paths who lived in NY, Chicago, and San Francisco. Redmoon was as a serious writer, father, and even a band manager to the group Quicksilver Messenger Service. An unfortunate car accident left him in a wheelchair for the last thirty years of his life but that didn’t stop him from expressing himself through his writing and fighting for what he believed in.

I like this passage because it’s all too true that fear can be a paralyzing roadblock that turns many people away before they even give themselves a fair shot. Once we can acknowledge and push our fears aside, we are set free.

“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.  Don’t go through life, grow through life.” Eric Butterworth

Butterworth was a minister of the Unity Movement who wrote 16 books on metaphysical spirituality. He believed in teaching others how to help themselves and often gave lectures and radio broadcasts saying, “You can change your life by altering your thoughts.” One of his famous admirers is Dr. Maya Angelou.

I firmly believe we should continually learn and better ourselves throughout our lives. There is no specific age when we should stop growing.  We can always find ways to do more and we need to be able to adapt because our environments are constantly changing.

“Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.” James Arthur Baldwin

Baldwin was an African-American poet, playwright, and author who grew up in Harlem in the late 1920’s. Fed up with the amount of racial and sexual discrimination in the US, he moved to France in 1948 to take his writing to the next level. He wrote numerous essays, plays, short stories, and novels in his lifetime.

I like this quote because it reminds us that it takes action to get results. We may not be successful every time, but we won’t get anywhere if we don’t try.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore! Dream!! Discover!!!” Mark Twain

Twain as you know is a legendary author who also had a lot of success as a public speaker. He traveled around the world in 1895 to many places incluing Sri Lanka, India, Mauritius, and South Africa. Did you know he had to propose to his wife twice before she accepted? Besides his love of writing, he also had avid interests in technology and science.

Even though Twain lived in such a different world than we do now, his words are timeless. Don’t be afraid to try something new. It’s so much better to have given something your best shot and failed vs having to your life looking back with a list of “what ifs.”  Want more inspirational quotes?  Check out my post on the Top 10 Quotes from the Wear Sunscreen Speech and Steve Job’s Commencement Speech, “Find What You Love.”

Untemplaters, what is your favorite inspirational quote from this post? Do you have a particular quote or two that you like to reference when you need a boost?

Photo Credit: Sydney

This is a popular week for reflecting on life and giving thanks for our family, friends, and health. After all, these three combined have a huge impact on our daily lives. There are countless things I’m thankful for every day, and I hope you feel the same way. Now I want you to take a moment for yourself and reflect on the power of choices and change. They shouldn’t be overlooked when giving thanks!

Choose To Be Happy → Change Your Mindset

Happiness is a choice. It really is! Happiness doesn’t come from being rich or popular. Nor does it exist in material possessions. Happiness comes from within you and is absolutely free! If you aren’t already, please find a way to laugh every day and I guarantee your happiness meter will rise. Once you realize that you can control your thoughts, you can change your mindset and your life.

Choose To Get Educated → Change Your Career

It makes me sad and sometimes even annoyed when I hear people complain endlessly about how they hate their jobs. They get so entangled in their own negativity and nagging, and expect others to feel sorry for them.  No thanks!  Constant complainers waste so much precious time and often don’t realize that their attitude pushes others away. There’s SO much truth in the phrase “knowledge is power.” If you’re unhappy with your job or industry, don’t just sit there! Start researching, reading, saving, learning and change your career!

Choose To Travel → Change Your Perspective

A lot of people are scared to travel or assume customs are the same all over the world and never leave their comfort zone. I’ve been fortunate to do a fair amount of traveling and can vouch that experiencing other cultures is life changing. I believe there would be a lot less hate in the world if more people educated themselves on different cultures.  Learning a foreign language is a fun way expand your horizons and there’s lots of free resources online and at public libraries.  There are so many amazing places to see and people to meet domestically and abroad.  Go exploring and change your perspective.

Choose To Get Active → Change Your Lifestyle

Whether or not you believe in fate, don’t rely on the universe to unfold your future for you. Cuz if you do, you’ll be stuck waiting a really, really long time! If you want to lose weight, start eating healthier and get up and exercise. Tired of being alone every weekend? Start making plans and fill up your social calendar! Want to be your own boss? Go draft up some ideas, make a business plan, and start a side business. You have the power to make choices and change your life.

Work where you want…Live how you want…Be who you want to be!

Untemplater’s Black Friday Giveaway

I want to send out a big THANK YOU to each of you for supporting Untemplater with your readership and comments. It truly means a lot!

I’ll be announcing a Black Friday giveaway to all Untemplater email subscribers in the upcoming newsletter this Friday so don’t miss your chance to win! Get an extra entry just by submitting a comment on this post. Not a subscriber yet? Just use the blue sign up form at the top right of this page, it’s easy!

Untemplaters, what are some choices you’ve made this year and what changes did they have on your life? What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

I’m obsessed with tilt-shift photography.  If you’ve never heard of it before, it’s a way of manipulating an image either through special lenses or by applying filters that make the objects in the image appear miniature like in the image I shot above.  There’s just something magical about all things mini that always makes me smile.

Perhaps it’s the birds eye feel of the style that gets me giddy and makes the world seem more extraordinary. Or maybe it’s the memories I recall from my travel adventures when I’m staring out the window of an airplane right before touching down to a new destination.

But mostly it’s seems to be the reminder that the world is such a vast, amazing place, and our troubles are so microscopic in comparison.  There’s a calming effect about that realization and I encourage you to think about that.  We get so caught up in paralyzing thoughts like “I’m so busy…I’m so stressed…I’m so troubled…I’m so miserable…me me me me” that we forget about all the glorious things around us.

If you get too focused on yourself and your own anxieties, you’ll lose sight of life.  Miniaturize yourself in your surroundings once in a while and you’ll realize that all of your worries are really insignificant and there’s no need to let them keep holding you back anymore.  The world is always in motion.  Life is always in motion.  If you try to stand still too long, you’re going to get knocked over.

Shrink your fears and concerns until they disappear.  Free your mind and keep moving forward.

Here are some brilliant tilt-shift videos by a talented Greek photographer, Emmanouil Papadopoulos, that will help you miniaturize and keep moving forward.

Untemplaters, are your troubles currently keeping you in a stand still?  Have you ever tried to miniaturize your stress and anxieties?  What keeps you moving forward?

Letting Go of Fear Will Set You Free

For the first half of my life, I was the type of girl who was scared of everything.  I hid in the corners at parties, turned bright red when my teachers called on me in class, dreaded walking up and introducing myself to people, was terrified of talking to guys, and shied away from big crowds.  In other words, I was a total wimp.

I started to grow out of these fears when I was halfway through high school, but I was still a socially awkward mess.  My self-esteem issues made me an easy target for getting picked on and it sucked.  I let the dumbest things embarrass me and my fears were paralyzing my everyday life.

It wasn’t until my early twenties that I finally started to realize how dumb it was to be scared of everything.  It really didn’t matter what other people thought of me, if I screwed up, and that I didn’t know all the answers or the right things to say in every situation.  I started to let go of my fears one by one, and embrace change.  If you want more out of life and love, you have to believe in yourself first and then start taking risks.

Life Is Too Short to Stay Stuck

In my quest for change, I decided I needed to get some spice in my life.  My inner voice told me the first step was to escape from sleepy suburbia.  I wanted more culture, better weather, great food, new opportunities, and an exciting social life.  So I packed 2 suitcases, bought a 1-way ticket cross country to San Francisco, and never looked back.

I didn’t have a job waiting for me there, no family members nearby, and only about $500 in my checking account.  Risky?  Yes!  But I was tired of feeling stuck and living in other people’s shadows, so I took a chance.

It was the craziest thing I’d ever done and it felt fantastic!  I finally felt like my life was in motion.  It took a lot of networking, job applications, and tons of rejections, but the more I reached out to people and put myself out there, the more things started to move.  I followed every lead and ended up getting an amazing job with a small business owner.

If I hadn’t made the choice to let go of my fears and start taking risks, I would still be a scared and lonely gal with one boring and unsuccessful life.

Happiness is a Choice

Some people are born optimists.  Others like me, and perhaps you too, have to stumble along and go through all sorts of craziness and darkness before finding a path of positive thinking.

My life was stuck in a stand still before I started to take risks.   I was depressed, moody, and frustrated until I learned to squash my fears, stop worrying so much, and focus on the positives.  Once I decided to get up, take action and break out of my funk, my life turned around completely.  If I can do it, you can too!

You don’t need all the answers now or a laundry list of awards under your belt to be happy.   Make the choice to find the positives in yourself and every situation.  You’re more powerful than you think!

The power of our minds

Once I began to take control of my thoughts and started thinking in a new way, my life started moving forward.  My mind had been holding me hostage for years by filling my thoughts with fears of failure, fears of embarrassment, fears of taking action.

Untemplater will show you how to shatter the template lifestyle, but ultimately YOU have to believe that you can have a better life, and be willing to change.  Even if this isn’t something you’re comfortable with right now, that’s okay.  We all have different tolerances for risk and embracing change.

Just try to keep an open mind and recognize that even though our minds are powerful, they can also get lazy and stall.  Apathy is a clever trick our mind traps us with because it attacks when we’re weak.

So if you want to change your life around, you better be prepared to dodge these types of traps.  It takes determination, initiative, and optimism to get your life off of autopilot.

The Untemplate Lifestyle Has Never Been More Realistic

The amount of free resources out there today is phenomenal, especially since I can remember the days before the Internet.  There’s no reason to keep making excuses and putting your dreams on hold anymore.  If you’re willing to put in the effort, you can break free of the fears and roadblocks that are leaving you stuck in a template lifestyle.

Focus your energy on seeking out the career, relationships, and life experiences that make you come alive!

Untemplaters, what are your biggest fears now and what fears have you overcome?  What are you willing to do to shatter the template lifestyle?  Are you ready to start thinking like an optimist?

Have you ever thought self-help books are boring and only written on topics you can’t relate to?  So not true!  They are actually quite a fun genre to read and are a great way to improve your lifestyle and open your eyes to new ways of thinking.  One such example I recently read is Gabrielle Bernstein’s new book, Spirit Junkie, and I have two free copies to giveaway to some lucky Untemplater readers!

Who’s Gabrielle Bernstein?

She’s a Gen Y motivational speaker, entrepreneur, life coach, and author who grew up in NY and graduated from Syracuse University with a theater degree.  She co-founded a non-profit called Women’s Entrepreneurial Network only a year after finishing college, and then started her own PR company shortly thereafter.

Bernstein’s a savvy go-getter who found her spiritual journey and path to help others after recovering from a severe addiction to drugs and alcohol.  Gabrielle’s first book, Add More ~ing to Your Life, was published just last year.  And an odd but neat talent she has is riding around on a unicycle, which is certainly no easy task and not something you’d think of just by looking at her.

What’s Spirit Junkie About?

The book covers her spiritual journey from high school through her entrepreneurial days after college.  From her own personal experiences, Gabrielle also helps us identify and squash our own fears and bad habits, and learn how to replace them with happiness, positive actions, and meditations.  Watch her video preview.

What I Liked About the Book

• Gabrielle’s writing style is honest and from the heart.

• She touches on the darkest, scariest moments in her life and is living proof that you can turn your life around completely and find pure happiness.

• Many of the emotions she highlights are things we’ve all experienced: fears of being alone, love and loss, struggling to please others, fighting and suppressing thoughts and feelings, and anxiety.

• Many of the chapters include summaries, which are great to bookmark.

• There are several sections throughout the book with helpful tips on meditation and exercises.

What You Should Know Before Reading Spirit Junkie

• Some of the concepts get slightly repetitive towards the end, but Bernstein’s personal experiences are woven in well and left me wanting to hear more stories about her life.

• If you’re easily offended by swearing or are giving Spirit Junkie to a young adult reader, be aware there’s a handful of times she uses the “s” word.

• The book has a total of 12 chapters, 288 pages, and is available in hardcover, Kindle, and Nook.

• You can order a copy of Spirit Junkie on here.

Giveaway Instructions

TWO lucky readers will win!  Increase your changes of winning by completing all of the below.

+1 Untemplater’s homepage, 2 points
+1 recent post(s), 1 point each
Retweet this post, 1 point
Like Untemplater on FB, 1 point
Subscribe to RSS, 1 point
Sign up for the newsletter, 1 point

Then list which of the above items you’ve completed in a comment below.  If you’ve already subscribed and like Untemplater on FB, do let me know because that still counts!  Get 2 bonus points if you share what your favorite self-help book is in your comment.  Entries close 9/15 at 6pm PST.

Untemplaters, do you consider yourself a spiritual person?  Are you a fan of self-help books – why/why not? 

Note: The Yakezie Network is hosting their bi-weekly #YakChat on Twitter at 6pm PST / 9pm EST this Wed, 9/14.  The topic is on the labor market, how to secure a job, get a promotion, and understand what’s going on out there!  The host will be @Yakezie.  I’ll be on, so see y’all there!

A common interview question is “what inspires you?”  Since interviews are usually not the best time to delve into deep personal issues, most people usually respond with dry, uncreative answers like “my parents,” or “being able to learn new things.”  Don’t worry about how you may have answered that in the past, I want you to think about how you would answer that question right now.

We all find inspiration differently.

Some of us need time alone to find it, looking within.  Others have more success looking outwards, observing and interacting.  There is no golden answer to the question “what inspires you.”  And your answer certainly doesn’t have to be singular, I find inspiration in more things than I can count.  No one can tell you how or what you should be inspired by; you have to find out for yourself.  What I can tell you is that when you come across these things, people, and/or places you will know.

Looking back at my life, my answers to the question “what inspires you” have changed dramatically over time, and rather frequently too.  When I was a teenager I so desperately wanted to be a famous actor like so many other people, and I watched movies and plays all the time admiring how everyone in the cast “had done it” and that meant there was hope for me too.

Focus on now.  The past doesn’t matter.

While I still enjoy the theater and watching blockbuster hits, my interest in acting has long passed, and although I still have mad respect for anyone who’s a working actor, that’s not a source of inspiration for me anymore and I’m totally fine with that.  My goals and priorities have changed, and the people that inspire me now are bloggers, world travelers, and entrepreneurs.

People are amazing.  I’m constantly amazed at the accomplishments people achieve every day.  But for me, getting inspired by people alone isn’t enough.  The majority of my inspirations are actually drawn from nature and travel.

Trails are always changing.

I always feel inspired when I’m hiking because I notice something new everywhere I go, even if I’m wandering down the same trail for the hundredth time.  Nature is always active, finding ways to survive and flourish, and I love that.

Wandering down dirt trails with the feel of the ground beneath my feet, my mind clears and my stresses melt away.  Nature humbles me, and reassures me that all the things have been bothering me really don’t matter in the big picture.  Hiking helps me squash my fears and inhibitions and makes me believe that anything is possible.

For those of you who like to hike, here are a few of my favorite trails that have inspired me and I think you’ll enjoy too.

• Kalalau Trail, Napali Coast, Kauai
• Panorama Trail, Yosemite Valley
• Sunset Trail, Fort Funston
• Solitude Trail, Squaw Valley
• Summit Loop Trail, San Bruno Mountain State Park
• Maunawili Falls Trail, Oahu

So Untemplaters, what inspires you?  I have a feeling most of you already know what your answers are.    Will you share a few with us?  Keep reaching for your dreams!

I’ve decided to try and adopt a more minimalist lifestyle but I think it’s making me obsessed!  I’m trying to evaluate my progress as I’m wondering if I’m doing a good enough job so far or not.  Since I’ve been experiencing some frustrations and feeling a bit obsessive about the whole thing, I’m taking a step back and want to share my progress with you.

Simplifying Life

What I love about minimalism is the push to simplify life.  Most of us are way too busy for our own good these days.  Too many commitments, too much clutter, too much to clean up, and too little relaxation can really bog us down.  Stress kicks in, our health problems increase, and our happiness goes down.

I do not want to be weighed down.  I’ve cut back on a lot of commitments and it’s definitely lightened my load.  I gave up music lessons because I wasn’t enjoying myself, I stopped taking dance classes because they were too far away (and the teachers weren’t that great), and I stopped making plans with friends who never reciprocate back.  No regrets there.  I still feel busy all the time though so I definitely need to find more ways to be efficient and find more ways to simplify.

Declutter

Over the weekend I filled four large paper bags with clothes, books, and some other random things that I took over to Goodwill.  This is one of my obsessive rituals now.   I always have an open bag in my closet where I can place things for donations any day, any time.  Once I get 4-5 bags full, I make a trip to Goodwill.  Sounds like minimalist progress right?

Even though I’ve made three trips this year alone, I don’t know why I’m obsessed with finding more things to get rid of.  I already have empty shelves and extra space in the closets.  My place is clean and doesn’t look cluttered, yet I feel addicted to keep minimalizing!

Change of Pace

Before I used to feel a great sense of accomplishment when I donated several bags.  Lately, I’ve been feeling less satisfied though.  Is it because I’ve finally started to run out of clutter?!  Am I not feeling the same level of satisfaction because I’m at the point where if I continue to donate at the same pace I will start to lose conveniences and things I actually still enjoy?  I think so!

I still think I can part ways with some more knick knacks, books, and maybe some more kitchen stuff but it’s definitely getting harder to find things to give away.  I have no regrets over the things I’ve gotten rid of so far though, and I’m proud of that.  I still want to continue to declutter, but it’s definitely going to be at a much slower pace now. The noticeable aftereffects are going to be much more subtle than before too so I can’t expect the same rush of satisfaction as when I first started.

Collectibles

I loved to collect things growing up.  Most I’ve long since parted with like my Troll doll collection, but a few big ones remain.  I have a huge collection of Barbie dolls, accessories, and dollhouse furniture at my mom’s house.  And then I have two large collections of coins and stamps at my own.  Even though none of it’s worth much money, I’ve hung on to mostly because of sentimental reasons.

Although I still enjoy sitting down and looking through everything, I probably only do that once a year.  That’s way beyond my use it or lose it clutter rule of 3 months.  Right now I have the space to store them, but I am starting to wonder if I should start parting ways with at least portions of the collections.  I’ve decided that as long as I still keep them I’m going to take them out and enjoy them at least 3-4 times a year.

Getting Past What’s Not Mine

Another thing I’ve struggled with more lately as I’ve started to run out of my own things to give away, is looking past my husband’s things.  It’s SO tempting to raid his side of the closet and bag up things I think he can part with!  But I’m smart enough not to do that without asking first.

I do give my husband credit though as he’s given away CDs, books, and clothes of his own this year and last, and has been a great sport.  I guess I’m tempted to raid his things to get the same rush I used to get early on when I was clearing out big spaces of my own, plus it’s SO much easier finding things to give away when they belong to someone else. 

Looking Ahead

After putting my thoughts down, I think I’m still on the right track of moving towards a minimalist lifestyle.  But I think I’m at a stage now where I need to focus less on decluttering objects, and more on decluttering my thoughts and habits.

I want to continue pouring my obsessive energy into becoming more minimalist so I can have more and more time to enjoy the things I love.  Simplifying life is a very freeing feeling and I think I’m hooked!

Untemplaters, have you ever felt obsessed about decluttering and trying to achieve a minimalist lifestyle?  What are your thoughts on simplifying life?

For those of you who are dads, Happy Father’s day!  It’s hard to believe summer is here and Father’s Day has snuck up on us again.  It’s a slightly awkward holiday for me, as I never quite know what to get my dad, so I usually just send a card and give him a ring hello.  He lives several states away so I don’t get to see him that often.

It’s always been a mystery to me how some daughters are so close to their dads.  When I was little I hung out with my father a lot.  But as I grew up, tension in my family grew as well and my parents ended up separating.

After my parents split, my dad moved away to find work, and I ended up living with my mom full time.  So I only got to see my dad on holidays a few times a year.  Sadly, the miles that separated us also lead me to feel distanced from him emotionally, and things were always a bit awkward after that when I saw him.

Looking past all of that though, there are many things that I love about my dad that I will always treasure.  Here are a quick few.

Smoking is Bad

My dad started smoking at a super young age and got extremely addicted.  However, he made a promise never to smoke in front of me, or my sister, and he kept it.  I could always tell when he’d just come back from a smoke and didn’t like the way it smelled.  He didn’t want us to see him smoking because it was his unshakeable weakness, and he didn’t want us to get sick from 2^nd hand smoke.  That taught me how serious smoking is and I didn’t want to have any part in it.  I’ve never touched a cigarette in my life and will forever keep it that way.

You Can Build Anything

He taught me that there’s nothing wrong with girls knowing how to use tools and fix things.  We built everything together and it was so much fun.  Bookcases, roll top desks, bunk beds, shelves, tables, lamps, and more.  He showed me all the tools in his workshop, taught me their names and how to use them.  We’d also take trips to the hardware store together for supplies and he’d teach me about even more things there too.   All the sales guys new him by name and I thought that was so cool.

Nature is magical

It still amazes me that my dad is a walking nature encyclopedia.  He knows about insects, birds, frogs, bears, deer, trees, rivers, snakes, you name it.  Whenever I had a question about an animal, plant, or something involving nature – he had the answers.   We went on camping trips together, gazed at the stars, picked wild blackberries and crabapples, and watched animals come out of the woods to graze.  It was like magic.

Sit Quietly and Soak it in

As a man of few words, except when it comes to politics and money troubles, my pops doesn’t like to fill all the silence with conversation.  He taught me how to sit quietly and gaze outdoors, listening to the music of the cicadas and the crickets.   Nature is always talking to us, we just have to stop and listen.

Thanks Dad, Happy Father’s Day…

Untemplaters, what are some of your favorite memories and words of advice from you dad?

We’re all sheep. Where the herd goes, we go, good or bad. But It doesn’t have to be this way.

Society tends to condition us to fit a certain template. We have all at one time or another been pressured and influenced to become a person we thought we should have been, as opposed to being who we really are. This has been the case with our dress, our personality, our goals, the people we associate with, the list goes on. We have all valued and allowed other’s opinions and thoughts to alter our own image and personality at some point.

Marcus Aurelius observed in the book “The Meditations”;

“It never ceases to amaze me: we all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinion than our own.”

If we really love ourselves more than other people, why does it seem hard for us to truly be ourselves, our 100% authentic self, all day, every day around anyone?

According to Wikipedia, the philosophy of Authenticity is; “the degree to which one is true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character, despite these pressures.” Another common definition of “Authenticity” in psychology refers to the attempt to live one’s life according to the needs of one’s inner being, rather than the demands of society or one’s early conditioning.

Robert Greene writes in his book, “The 50th Law”, that you are one of a kind. No other person on Earth shares the same genetic makeup of you, nor do they share your perspective and experiences in life. For this, you have your own unique ideas, thoughts, and perspectives. Greene encourages us to not be afraid of our uniqueness and to stop giving a damn about what others think of you.

We have all met someone who epitomizes Authenticity. They are genuinely authentic in their actions, their goals, their style, and personality. Everything they do seems so attuned to their purpose and goals in life. We are attracted to these people, for they seem trustworthy and genuine. We all have the power and capability becoming a person like this. It just takes three easy steps.

Know your fears, know your edge

“Your Fear is the sharpest definition of yourself” – David Deida

We all have fears. These fears are severe limitations that we place on ourselves and ultimately color the way we see the world, the people around us, and ourselves. We tend to cover up fears by acting fake or engage in some form of lying. If you’re fearful, you can never be completely “free” to be yourself.

According to David Deida in his book, “The Way of the Superior Man”;

“A free man is free to acknowledge his fears without hiding them, or hiding from them.”

You truly cannot know yourself; find out who you really are, without finding out your fears and why they are your fears. Find out your fears and your edge, and you can see your limits, your weaknesses, and ultimately work on them.

Find your purpose and create a mission

Find out what makes you “You” and what you really love to do. Without a purpose that you totally believe in, you’ll feel lost in this world. You will be reacting and adapting to events in life as opposed to creating events. You lose control. Purpose is what makes your life meaningful, and how can you be authentic without that?

So find it out, now. Once you do find your purpose, make it your priority and make a mission to accomplish it. Don’t waste your energies and resources on anything irrelevant. It’s all about opportunity cost. What activity would be more beneficial to your purpose? Farmville or reading anything you can get your hands on.

Purposeful Action

“Don’t let your dreams be dreams” – Jack Johnson

This is the hard part. Now that you have identified your fear and your real edge, live just beyond that. Challenge yourself, constantly. Remember, every moment of your life is either a test or a celebration. Never be idle.

Equally important is to act congruently to your mission and purpose. This is the key to practicing Authenticity.

Perhaps the most important task is to focus on you. Aurelius hit this head on in Meditations; “Don’t waste the rest of your time here worrying about other people – unless it affects the common good. It will keep you from doing anything useful.” The only thing you can control in life is your action.

Authentic means not false, nor copied. Every one of us can never be duplicated. We can also never become someone else, no matter how hard we try. So why not invest your energies and resources on becoming the real “You”?

With true authenticity, you can slowly break away from the herd, and be You.