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Natural Awakenings Twin Cities

Authentic Living

Jan 31, 2018 05:34PM ● By Kim Kane

Pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you. ~ Maya Angelou

 

Many of us were strongly moved during Oprah’s speech at the Golden Globes awards ceremony. It reminded us we are all important. We matter, and we can be the change. The speech left many of us asking, “What can I do to make the difference? To be the difference?” We were ready to embrace the next steps of moving some of the biggest hurdles that get in the way of others and ourselves to be the best we can be. We felt clarity.

And then just as fast as we felt moved, we allowed our thoughts to become cloudy and our preconceived reality set in. We realized that we are only one person and we still have to go to work tomorrow. We still have to pick up groceries on the way home, and after all, who are we to think we can do the big things needed to be done? We heard our self say, “Who do I think I am? I am not Oprah!” The complacency set in. Our clarity faded. We moved on. It felt too big.

The truth is, by living our best life, we mirror that we do believe in what matters for us and, by this very act, we create space for others to do the same. Living our best life helps us to stay focused and gives clarity in deciding what we need to do to keep moving forward. How does this happen?

  1. Live our most authentic life every day. Stay consistent. Find what fits for you and live that. Never try to live someone else’s life or for someone else. It never works. We are all aware of what makes us happy, makes us feel productive and empowered. Do more of that and be more of that.
  2. Share our gifts. If you have the gift of producing art, allow others to share in your created beauty and spread joy. If you are gifted in communication skills, whether verbal or writing, use that to help create understanding. Whatever your gift, do not keep it just for yourself. It is meant to be shared. It is meant to bring others together.
  3. Speak our truth. The credibility of truth is it defines who you are as a person. It gives you the opportunity to say what is important to you. Speaking your truth does not mean it is an attempt to change others; rather it creates understanding.
  4. Stay curious. Ask questions and seek to understand. By staying curious, we allow ourselves to learn and create respect vs. allowing for being offended and judging.
  5. Live through the lens of gratitude. Each day provides opportunities to see all things as possibilities and without limits. Living in gratitude creates a sense of fulfillment and abundance. Without it, we continue to seek.

By living our best life and illuminating our gifts, we light the way for others. Every day. Every time. We spark thoughts and courage for those who have been hesitant to take the steps they need to. By living authentically, we give permission for others to do the same. It creates a ripple effect of positive connections—even to those who may not have expected it.

So in the end, authentic living is not about moving mountains. It is about all the small, everyday moments of being kind, being authentic and living a life of gratitude. To send the message, ‘It all matters,’ we need to act as if it does.

Kim Kane is the owner of Living Life in Tandem, a company designed for empowering women of a ‘certain age’, freelance writer, author of Sparkle On…Women Aging in Gratitude, and presenter for Living Life in Tandem with Gratitude. For more information, visit KimKaneAndGratitude.com