Discovering Authenticity: The Art of Being You

Welcome, everyone! Danielle Amy here. We seem to live in a world where the term ‘authenticity’ gets thrown around a lot. There appears to be a universal obsession around it, often without a clear understanding of what it actually means. This is particularly evident in the online world, where creating a seemingly authentic persona can be a strategic move in boosting your image or business. Let me inject a tiny bit of truth juice here: Authenticity isn’t looking unpresentable or continuously sharing sob stories. Let’s delve deeper into truly understanding what being authentic is all about.

Naked Authenticity

To truly be authentically you, there’s a certain level of vulnerability you’d need to nurture, one that can be equated metaphorically to being naked; emotionally exposed and raw. This vulnerability, although discomforting, can bring refreshing originality and truth that can be transformative.

For a more detailed understanding of how controlling your environment is not the key to finding joy, you can check out this insightful video I previously shared on embracing uncertainty. The key to true authenticity and mitigating false control lies in self-awareness and understanding yourself better.

Taking Control: Acceptance, Awareness, and Accountablity

The first step in this journey starts with you acknowledging and understanding your current situation – accepting where you are in life right now in order to move forward. Acceptance is not about romanticizing a challenging situation, it’s about coming to terms with reality as it stands. This provides a sense of clarity and creates space for positive development.

“The first place to start with vulnerability is yourself. Because it’s the hardest place to do it. Rest assured, it’s not that you’re doing something wrong. It’s just sometimes you’re not always driving your car.”

Now that we’re on the same page, where do we go from here? How do we traverse the path to an authentic life? My recommendation? Start with acknowledging and understanding your inner child.

Inner Child Revelations

By inner child, I’m referring to rekindling joy, nostalgia, and the freedom of innocence we often lose as we grow up. Unfortunately, alongside the joyful memories, there might be limiting beliefs and traumatic experiences from our past that need to be addressed and released to help us move forward. One size doesn’t fit all, so the process of release can vary from person to person. The important thing is finding a way that works for you individually, rather than following a one-method-fits-all approach.

My suggestion? Experiment with different techniques and listen to your intuition to find the method that works best for you. As you traverse down this path of self-discovery, you’re going to learn a lot about yourself. So embrace the buffet of options for your self-improvement journey without any pressure or specific expectations.

“The key is not to focus on finding an immediate solution to your problems, but rather the target should be to continually explore and better understand yourself.”

Finding a Mentor

Remember, while the journey is solitary in terms of personal progress, you don’t have to navigate it alone – a mentor can provide guidance. This doesn’t necessarily imply investing huge amounts of money. Sometimes, a mentor could serendipitously enter your life just when you need them, possibly even offering their services for free. Be open to such opportunities, accepting the fact that you might require external help to traverse this journey.

“Sometimes the insight you need comes from your own thoughts being reflected back at you from a different voice.”

Accept Where You Are

In the pursuit of authenticity, it’s important to take accountability for your actions and where you are in life. Your circumstances might have been challenging, but ultimately, your choices pave the way for your future. It’s important to not fall into the pit of victimhood, instead, learn to rise above it and make intentional choices that reflect the true you.

For those of you ready to delve deeper into understanding your true self, I recommend accessing my ‘Unmask Your True Self’ e-book available for just $7. The e-book is equipped with exercises designed to allow an in-depth introspection of your self.

This journey is not about a quick fix, it’s about understanding, embracing, and becoming the real you. The secret lies not in becoming someone else, but in truly becoming yourself by acknowledging where you are and intentionally determining where you want to go.

“Your purpose is to become the authentic you by embodying the light of self and conquering everything that prevents you from being that light”

Remember, it’s not about being perfect, it’s about being true to who you are, even if that means sharing your vulnerabilities. In doing so, you inspire others to be unapologetically themselves.

I hope this blog post has inspired you to start your journey towards authenticity. Give yourself permission to explore, to be vulnerable, and to find your own truth. Remember, “In order to get to the light, you have to face the shadow.”

Bye for now, and see you in the next post.

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The Pursuit of Happiness: Redefining Success and Joy in Life

Hey there, heroes! I am so glad to welcome you back. It’s your favorite human, Danielle Amy. We all know how much we crave success, and today, we’re going to explore one significant aspect of it – happiness. So, sit back comfortably and enjoy this read about rediscovering happiness and carving out your own sweet spot in your life journey.

Don’t forget, if you appreciate the content, give this post a like and make sure subscribe for more articles every Tuesday and Thursday. Spread the word and inspire others!

The Subjectivity of Happiness

Happiness, as we perceive it, is a concept shrouded in subjectivity. Many of us, consciously or unconsciously, latch our definitions of happiness onto unrealistic expectations, societal norms or standards, or comparisons to other people’s lives. This often creates a paradigm where we are constantly chasing after an elusive state of bliss, at the expense of appreciating our own unique journeys.

“Sometimes you have to pause and realize, am I making decisions? And is this outcome different simply because I’m honoring my differences, because I am aware of my being and realize, like, I’m incredibly different?”

This realization that we are unique beings can significantly shift our perception of happiness.

Though happiness is often considered a constant state or end-goal to strive for, it truly isn’t as linear or constant as we make it out to be. Life isn’t always happiness-filled, and that’s okay. In fact, experiencing other emotions and perspectives is essential to our growth and self-nurturing, and can be seen as freeing rather than confining.

To illustrate this, imagine your emotions as little beings inside you, just like in the Disney movie Inside Out – and each emotion sometimes needs a break to allow others to take charge for a while. It’s all part of a healthy emotional ecosystem.

Two Key Ingredients: Awareness and Acceptance

For success and fulfillment, two crucial ingredients are awareness and acceptance. The power of these two as a team helps unleash significant growth. They enable us to release suppressed emotions or thoughts, challenge societal assumptions, and redefine success to be more aligned with ourselves.

Achieving awareness and acceptance can put you on a journey to understanding happiness on a deeper and more personalized level.

The Constraints of Perceived Success

Let’s look at a common misunderstanding around success. Many people, especially business owners, subscribe to the bullish ambition of earning six figures. But is quantifying success in this way inherently wrong? Not necessarily, it only becomes problematic when we hold ourselves up in a box to match these externally-defined parameters.

Success and happiness can mean different things for different individuals. For some, the path to personal progression and satisfaction may be in a traditional career rather than entrepreneurship. It doesn’t make it any less valuable or indicate that they’re less successful. As humans, we have a right to design our life equations as per what suits us the best.

Redefining Success Through the Lens of Consciousness

As we grow and evolve, our perception of success changes too. For example, what we used to see as freedom might be a different now. Bear in mind, it’s crucial for us to allow this change. Let us accept that what works for someone else might not work for us and vice versa.

“Create your own journey and define forms of what you desire for you, not what anybody else says and what anybody else thinks.”

Life is not a constant path; it’s perfectly okay to take turns and change lanes. Remember, that’s what makes it so beautiful.

Balance – The Yin and Yang of Energy!

In life, we play different roles and exhibit various attributes. Maintaining a harmonic balance between our masculine (being action-oriented) and feminine (being nurturing) energy paves the way to unlocking our fullest potential.

Learning about oneself, creating safe spaces for self-discovery, and expressing unconditional love for oneself can lead us on a path of ascension and growth. As we bloom and unify the human with the soul, the spiritual with the material, we craft a more fulfilled and content life.

Remember, happiness isn’t an outcome or a thing, it’s an energy pattern residing within you that surfaces from a harmonious state of being.

In closing, embrace the changes life throws at you, strive to soar and fly. After all, life isn’t meant to be linear, and each dip and curve only makes you more human. Strive for change and growth, not just fulfillment. And bear in mind, you’re doing great, regardless of where you are right now.

If you’re excited about going deeper with this, check out this video – Unlock your true self, a dive into the conscious level of self-perception and approach.

Remember, we’re layered, and it’s time we started exploring those layers! Happy soul-searching!

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Embarking on the Journey of Spiritual Awakening: Embracing Life’s Other Side

Hello humans! Amy here. Today, we’re diving into the deep waters of spiritual awakening – this strange, baffling yet enriching journey and how one can actually begin to embrace it. We will tackle what this mysterious other side of life actually is, and question if it indeed needs to be embraced. So, strap in and let’s take this journey together.

Starting the Journey

I believe I’ve been on my own spiritual awakening journey for some time now. In fact, I think it quietly started taking shape before I even realized it when I began questioning things in my life. A defining moment, however, was during an Ayahuasca journey in Peru with my husband and friend. It didn’t magically solve everything but it profoundly changed my perspective and altered how I experienced life.

It’s worth noting that I wasn’t and still am not religious. Skepticism previously made me stay a little bit outside of my comfort zone when it came to faith or spirituality. But after my unique experience, I noticed an increase in the frequency of questioning everything around me. I started seeing my life through a different lens.

The Shift and Metamorphosis in Spiritual Awakening

In my interpretation, when we begin our spiritual awakening, we are actually embracing a deep connection with our higher self. This is a process of metamorphosis, of inner transformation, in other words, a shift in paradigm and perspective. Things begin to change, and the velocity of this change can vary for each individual. The ultimate result is a sort of rebirth, an opportunity to see life from an entirely different perspective.

“True self isn’t always visible at the beginning of the journey. But every step, whether big or small, brings us closer to our real selves.”

Harnessing Inner Guidance and Intuition

A crucial part of spiritual awakening is learning to tap into our inner guidance, which in essence, is our intuition. We all have this innate guidance system within. The only problem is, we aren’t taught how to use it.

So, our lives often see decisions made upon us without our consent, leading us to walk paths that might not resonate with our true selves. Most of our decisions are driven by fear, trauma, or insecurities rather than unwavering confidence. Harnessing our inner guidance, or intuition, helps us trust our instincts, and direct our lives according to our own desires rather than external influences.

Embracing the Journey and Recognizing the Real Self

During my spiritual awakening, I have learnt that this is an ongoing evolution, a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. The expectation of blissful constant highs in life is an illusion, and often leads to disheartening lows. I have experienced moments of frustration when things haven’t unfolded as per my expectations.

However, the journey has also been an enriching self-exploration, which has enabled me to get in touch with my true self, the person I am right now, in this moment, not the one shaped by fears or insecurities. Even small shifts in perspective can create significant adjustments in our lives.

Accepting the trials and tribulations of this journey is the key to embracing the process.

“The Spiritual Awakening is about realizing you’re the maverick of your life, forging your own path and creating your own destiny.”

The Power of Self Accountability

Self-accountability is a critical factor in the spiritual awakening journey. It lends to the process a level of grounding that prevents us from losing touch with our human selves. It is this blend of self-accountability and spirituality that guides us past the hurdles in this enigmatic path without slipping into a spiritual psychosis.

In conclusion, the spiritual awakening isn’t about being saved by some external power. It’s about saving ourselves, becoming self-aware, and embracing the ongoing journey of growth and transformation that we are all destined to undertake. It’s about discovering the vastness of our true selves in this grand adventure called life.

Let us remember to embrace this incredible journey for what it is – a beautifully imperfect, sometimes bewildering yet profoundly enriching exploration of our true selves.

Click Here to Watch My Soulful Journey on YouTube

Thank you for joining me on this exploration. If you’ve found this post valuable, please give it a like and share. Your engagement continues to motivate me to share my experiences. As we embark on this journey together, remember, you are the maverick of your life!

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Chasing Dreams: A Real-Life Perspective on Overcoming Challenges

Today, I’m going to talk about something that I’ve experienced firsthand. It’s a topic close to my heart, one that I’m keen to share with you instead of always projecting everything in a positive light. Because everybody seems to post videos on YouTube where the journey is always an uphill trek, filled with success and obstacles overcome.

But the harsh reality is that sometimes the journey towards our dreams is not as fantastic and shiny as it’s made out to be. Today, we’ll delve into the challenges we face when we are doggedly chasing what we believe are our dreams.

Introducing Danielle Amy, the Real Talker

If you’re new to my posts, let me introduce myself. I’m Danielle Amy, known for my straightforwardness and down-to-earth nature. I prefer to have real, raw conversations about real things in life. My aim today is to answer a question many of us struggle with: When is enough indeed enough in the pursuit of dreams?

The Influencer Enigma

We’ve all seen those individuals who seem to make it big overnight. They’re deemed influencers, boasting large followings and even larger revenue counts. It’s natural to glance at their lives and wonder, “why do they have that and not me?” I’ve certainly had times in my life where I’ve asked, “what the hell am I doing wrong?”, because success didn’t just land on my lap last Thursday.

There are those who speak openly about the journey, the struggle, the fact that success is seldom an overnight event. They quit their job on a Thursday and suddenly have an influx of clients. But you can’t help but wonder, was that just a part of their journey? Were the stars aligned for them to achieve success that quickly? Is it sustainable? Is it even real?

The Universally Frustrating Journey

Life can be incredibly frustrating, especially if you believe in things like the universe or higher powers. Though I have been pursuing my dream of having a business since 2008, the journey has been far from smooth. I’ve always been a creative spirit, making jewelry in fourth grade and sewing backpacks in high school – trying to sell handmade goods. That’s how my journey started, in the storage room outside my parents’ garage.

Yet, for all my desire and passion, the reality was stark: I had no clue what I was doing. I read inspiring stories of people who turned their Etsy stores into lucrative businesses, but that magic didn’t happen for me. Countless hours were spent behind my computer, working my ass off, only to score an occasional sale yielding little profit. It took until 2011 to feel any sense of accomplishment, despite trying every trick in the book.

This led me on a journey through graduate school, corporate jobs, and various business ventures, always in search of the elusive success formula. But I’ve since realized that we often find ourselves trapped in our path, creating obstacles for ourselves.

Time to Shift, Pivot, or Simply Get Real?

Sometimes, it feels like we’re endlessly following the prescribed steps to success and yielding little to no result. That’s when the question arises, is it time to stop? Is it time to pivot? Or is it time to get real with ourselves and assess what we truly want?

You have to ask yourself, have you been too comfortable? Have you actually been trying, or have you just been feeding your ego?

In my years of pursuing success, I’ve realized it’s not about chasing a wrong dream. It’s about feeding our ego instead of working towards desired outcomes. I’ve been guilty of spending vast amounts on coaching because that’s ‘what successful people do’. But here’s a reality check: you don’t have to go broke or deep into credit card debt to get ahead.

Chicken or the Egg: A Puzzling Dilemma

It’s not about not doing anything. It’s about not doing the same thing, expecting a different result. If you’re stuck in the same cycle, generating the same outcomes, it’s time to pause and reassess your approach. Maybe the way you’re trying to achieve your dream isn’t working. Maybe you’re not giving it your all.

In my own journey, I’ve identified areas where I was lazy, lacked clarity, or simply didn’t follow through. I also neglected to build a solid foundation for my business, which led to its downfall when times were tough.

Accountability: The Unsung Hero

The truth is, we often don’t hold ourselves accountable. We tend to complain without taking actionable steps towards improvement. This journey is not about overcoming challenges with four easy steps. It’s about appreciating small steps, celebrating the little wins, and holding oneself accountable.

No matter how much money you’ve made or how spiritually evolved you are, it doesn’t stop the human experience. It doesn’t stop the feelings that come with it. And it sure doesn’t stop the self-destruction we can cause in our own lives.

So, hold on tight as we navigate this thing called life, raw and real. Life is not always easy, but it’s an experience, for sure. Join me for more honest, straightforward conversations about entrepreneurship, life and everything in between.

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We all know what coming of age “should” look like Graduate high school, go to college, get married, take out a mortgage, have 2.6 kids…you know the drill. Most of us succumb to living up to the expectations of our family and the people that we’ve built relationships with, without really examining at all if what we are doing is what we really want for ourselves and our life.

Fast forward a decade or two and what happens? People get depressed. They get anxious. They get frustrated, bored, and discontented with their mediocre life. Unfulfilled by living out the expectations of others and no clue what to do about it.

It’s at this crossroad that our spiritual journey often begins, but it comes with no shortage of challenges. Perhaps the hardest are those you love who judge your spiritual awakening.

Judgment is Born from Dissonance

Why do we do this? Why do we go through so much of our lives unconscious to ourselves? Why do we care so much about fitting in, that we don’t even think about who we really are, or what we really want?

Generally speaking, people are just trying to blend in. To fit in with conventional wisdom so as to avoid feeling uncomfortable or making anyone else feel uncomfortable. This is called Cognitive Dissonance.

Cognitive dissonance is described by psychology expert Kendra Cherry as the feelings of discomfort that result when your beliefs run counter to your behaviors or to new information that is presented to you. It’s the discomfort of having two conflicting thoughts and the urge to make that discomfort go away that leads to one of two things:

Doing things the way everyone else does or pissing them off by doing it your way.

The former results in the comfort of feeling accepted by blending into societal norms and culture. The latter results in feeling the discomfort that inevitably comes with personal growth and development.

If you choose door number 2, the conflict that can occur with those around you happens because they are now in a state of cognitive dissonance. You are presenting them with new information that is counter to their own beliefs and behaviors.

To be frank, it can come as quite a shock to your loved ones if everything you’ve ever been is suddenly turned on its ass. Nonetheless, it can be painful when they judge your spiritual awakening. Remember their discontent isn’t personal, even if it’s being projected onto you that way. It’s coming from their deep-rooted psychological desire to not feel uncomfortable – to be like everyone else.

The Downside of Dissonance

Throughout spiritual growth, you will experience the effects of dissonance. Your uncovered beliefs and your new behaviors and way of being will feel deeply empowering and liberating. But your external environment and the people in it will remain exactly as they were before your spiritual growth spurt, leaving you feeling isolated.

To add to that, the people you were once close to might become unbearable to be around. You will feel judged by those you confide in for your new way of thinking. You might feel alienated and wonder how things could change so fast. Did these people ever care about me??

It helps to know where the judgment comes from

Dissonance is psychologically powerful, and we will do almost anything to avoid feeling it. So, when others are judging you and you feel the pain of their rejection, it’s helpful to know they are simply responding to the discomfort of their own cognitive dissonance. For most people, the fastest way to reduce their dissonance is to reject what’s making them uncomfortable. In this case, it just happens to be you and your spiritual awakening.

You see, the dissonance is really the fancy word for ego. Our ego’s first goal is to keep us feeling comfortable, therefore maintaining the guise of safety. If people are judging you harshly – even rejecting you – it’s because their ego is running the show. They are unable to accept your differences because they are unaware of their own ego’s attempt at keeping them feeling “safe”.

How to handle it when people judge your spiritual awakening

I notice with many of my clients that once they open the floodgates of who they really are, the people in their life take notice. And it usually isn’t pretty. They begin to get very caught up in, “But so and so doesn’t like me now…” or “She told me I’m being crazy…” or “My best friend stopped talking to me.”

Take a stance for yourself, not what the majority rules to be right.

But here’s the thing I respond to my clients with, and it’s what I want you to remember more than anything:

Is this your life, or theirs?

When they are on their death bed do you think they are thinking of the things you did in life or the things they did?

Your awakening is a beautiful thing, but it will very likely come with some ugly moments. Harsh truth. So how can you handle the major relationship shifts you will almost assuredly experience through exposing the core beliefs about who you really are to others?

Be brave.

At the end of the day, you gotta do you, boo! What do you feel in your heart? What do you leak from your soul? It’s in there, you just need to be brave enough to let it out.

For example, it wasn’t that long ago I remember having an anxiety attack after being on Periscope for 3 minutes. I’m talking sweating like a mofo, voice shaking, perfect hair and makeup, and taking forever to even hit the “live” button.

Those of you that follow me know that I am now completely comfortable on live streams. In fact, I prefer posting videos to my YouTube Channel more than any other type of content. (Also, I generally don’t give AF about hair and make-up anymore.)

When I started, I was scared. I was scared about what people would think about little-old-me having the hutzpah to talk like an expert online. I was scared of judgment, scared of rejection, and especially scared about the people I know seeing me do my thing! That was my cognitive dissonance popping up to say hi.

My engrained belief was that I was not worthy and not smart enough to be speaking publicly. It wasn’t normal in my circles to talk online or to be an ‘expert’ on anything. The new belief that I was coming around to finally honoring was that actually, I was fucking awesome and I should be helping others. I had a choice in how to remove the dissonance: stay the same and reinforce the old belief pattern to keep everyone comfy or go live and align with the fact that I was indeed awesome.

Give yourself (and others) grace.

So, whatever it is; spirituality, changing careers, changing genders, it helps to know and remember why people do the things they do.

The harsh truth that in life there’s always going to be people who don’t like you, who turn their backs on you or flat-out reject you can be quelled with the knowledge that really, we are all wired to avoid feeling like we don’t belong and will do almost anything to eliminate it.

What matters is that you are happy at a soul-level. That you are striving to embody the highest version of yourself. Take it one step at a time. And give yourself my favorite word that I learned for myself a few years back: GRACE.

Allow yourself to change, to start something and decide it’s not for you, to fall flat on your ass, to not make 6-figures in 30 seconds or less, and to look like you walk a runway on your first live stream. Allow what is truly you to emerge with grace, and consider the judgments a sign that you are getting closer to her.

If you need a hand, I’m here to help you navigate this journey and unveil your soul’s longing.

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I’m gonna cut the shit and let this cat out of the bag right off the bat: I’m no Marie Kondo, and not everyone who reads this post will find joy. #sorrynotsorry  [watch her show-read her book]

This article isn’t a magic joy pill. (In fact, there is no pill, even if you wanted one.)  

You see, YOU already are the change you wish to be. You are awesome and limitless. You are your own guide, your chooser, the leader of your journey. Yep, I called you a leader even if you don’t buy it. I’m here to show you how to unveil all of this, believe it, and run with it so you can live a life of epic joy. But you need to be willing to do the work and make the change. 

What you will learn from this article is knowing the silver lining in your life already exists and how to find it. Achieving pure JOY in your life? Well, it can take a while for the general ‘Joe human’ to get there, but I’m here to help and this guide is the starting point. 

The first step towards any change is awareness. This guide will bring you to a place of awareness that you are NOT mediocre and that awesome, limitless joy is within you.  

Change isn’t a one-and-done event. Instead, it is a rinse and repeat thing. The more you do it and the more you smack yourself on the ass and tell yourself to get it together, the more magical and joyous life becomes. You’ll be surprised to know that some of the greatest changes you will ever experience will come from the simplest choices you make.  

I wrote this post for you because I truly wanted to create something for people that would give you the opportunity to change the course of your life. Whether or not we ever meet again, I hope you choose yourself today and choose the work of finding and living a life of joy. 

Now, grab yourself a beverage, and let’s dive into the 3 big mistakes that block joy, so you can start to find the true, long-lasting joy you’ve been craving.  

1. Not living in the NOW.  

Most people live each day only seeing, thinking, and OBSESSING over what needs to be done or happen for them to feel better. Worse yet, lots of people feel they are quitting or settling if they DON’T focus their thoughts on these things.  

Here’s a secret that changed the course of my life: accepting where you are is ok and brings you further in life and closer to joy.  

Accepting where you are and who you are right now means that you are in love with the broke, divorced, single, cute but psycho, slightly OCD self. The wrinkles, the pudge, the not-so-fancy car, the tiny house…all of it.  

When you can look at your bank account that’s missing a couple of zeros and still, without hesitation, breathe out in the knowing it’s all going to be ok, you are one giant step closer to living a life of joy. 

In the very moment you are facing doubt or self-criticism about where you are, choose to send out into the Universe that “I am happy, I am whole, I create my reactions, and I CHOOSE how to respond.”  

Being in the now also includes gratitude for what you have and where you are right now. “I choose to find gratitude in life.” “My bank account is low…BUT there is food to eat, gas to fuel the car and hey, I even have the ability to view my bank account because of this awesome electronic device I’m holding.” 

2. Looking at everyone else’s life.  

Man, this one right here?  It’s a DOOZY of a mistake. Yet it’s the most common form of sabotaging yourself from joy.  Where do I even begin? I feel you rolling your eyes at me, about to point your finger and say “yeah, but…”  

Look, Linda, everyone does this. It’s human nature to observe what we perceive others having and wish we had it too. But believing the grass is always greener is basing your joy on a total sham. The extent to which you compare yourself to others holds you back from appreciating your amazing journey. 

The only life you get to live is yours. Not your mom’s, cousin Kim’s, or Amanda’s down at Sephora with the on-point brows. Their lives may be incredibly awesome, but none of them have anything to do with your life. So why does it matter?  
 
We all come from different upbringings, and have different personalities, shapes, sizes, and capacities of willpower. I urge you to source ideas and inspiration from your environment and external factors, but don’t define and compare your life by what it “lacks” as you compare it to another. Don’t let it strip you down to feel you didn’t do things right, or don’t have enough of whatever it is “they” have. 
 
Society paints a pretty narrow picture of what success looks like. Ask yourself the questions below and free write what really comes up for you. There is no wrong answer, so don’t overthink it. Be really honest with yourself and you may be surprised what comes up.

Side note of inspiration:  

What does (insert your name) want?
What do I like?
What choices have led me to where I am today?
What can I do now to appreciate where I am?
What does where I am now, help me to get in the future?

Use the things that you see as “lack” to inspire appreciation of what’s to come. We all start somewhere, and when you take the time to appreciate what it is that you do have right now, energetic doors start to open for more of your desires to manifest.  

Still, scraping the bottom of your brain for something to appreciate? Start with the most basic thing: You have life. You have the ability to breathe in this very moment and to make choices to EMPOWER your life that can change your destiny to the greatness you want it to be. 

3. Lack of love & forgiveness. 

At this point, I would assume you get what we are doing here. Yes, ladies, we are adding a sprinkle of Mary Poppins onto your life. Everyone can add these sprinkles to their life – including you. 
 
So even though shit happened,  you slept with people that should have never breathed the same air as you, quit things when you felt you should have kept going, married the wrong person, spent too much money, gained too much weight…it doesn’t matter. 
 
Even if you checked every single box above YOU ARE FUCKING phenomenal. Why do I know this? Because after all that shit, here you are still trying to love yourself a bit more and appreciate your life with a bit more grace. That takes so much courage, tenacity, and vulnerability. High five and hugs to you my lady friend. High five and hugs.  
 
Know this: You have been doing the best you can with what you have had or could handle at the time.  

Case and Point: Me, 7 years ago. I was a complete TRAIN WRECK. And you better believe I still have my “Cute but psycho” moments to this day. But my God, do I love my life now. And am so fulfilled.  

Even with the toddler snacks crushed behind the car seat and the couch that’s turned into an unfolded laundry depository. I’m still full of joy because I have learned the most important element to achieve it; loads of self-love and self-forgiveness. I’m still human y’all, living a life of joy, is consciously choosing to live in that place. I have to CHOOSE, and I don’t always – I have bad days too.

There are countless ways to learn to forgive your past transgressions and light yourself up. Here are some easy ways to get yourself started. 

1. Mantra to cut out (or tattoo on your forehead):  

I AM RIGHT WHERE I NEED TO BE. 

Repeat this every day as much as you can. Repeat it until you are sick of it and then repeat it some more. Repeat it until you BELIEVE it. And then for sure repeat it some more. 

1. Right now, at this very moment, write down 5 things that you need so badly to change in your life. The 5 things that royally suck and make you want to start throwing punches at someone.  

Now, take those 5 horrid, asshole things and write a brief letter to each one. Tell each thing why it’s been a blessing to have them in your life. Why you are grateful for them. This includes things like what have you been taught, what do you now realize about yourself, and what did it inspire you to want to have/be? 

CONTINUE READING