By Priscilla A. Wainwright, Ph.D., CPC
Authenticity is the foundation for self esteem, positive
assertiveness, empowerment, and all that good stuff. After all, how can you be fully empowered –
and truly happy – if you don’t know who you really are and/or are not living
and speaking your truth?
If things seem out of whack in your life, your
relationships, or your sense of meaning, part of the problem may be that you’re
out of touch with part of your authentic
self.
Maybe it’s time for an Authenticity Check-Up.
In medicine, if you have certain undefinable symptoms going
on, your doctor may prescribe an imagery method called a Full Body Scan. You are imaged head to toe.
Well, if you’re feeling disempowered, invisible, burned out
from over-serving, a lack of meaning or fulfillment, and/or stuck in certain habits or relationship issues,
an Authenticity Scan may be in
order. You may have lost touch with
certain parts of your True Authentic Self.
Below is a list of things to examine. Don’t dash through this. Take time to
reflect. Also, writing down or journaling
your ideas and thoughts will be very helpful. You will want to refer to
this information again and again as time goes on.
Here goes:
1.
What are your key Joys in life?
What is it about these things that
brings you the good feelings?
2.
What are your key Frustrations?
What is it about those things
that upsets you?
(Your answers may
reflect a need to control or certain demands
that you are
placing on your world, which in the big picture may
or may not be
reasonable.)
3.
What are your “Likes” and “Dislikes”, if
different from the above?
For what reasons do you like or
dislike these things?
4.
List your Core Values.
What do you really believe in? Why?
5.
List your Interests.
What is it about them that fulfills
you?
6.
List your Natural Talents.
7. List your Skills and Strengths.
Just because you’re good at something doesn’t mean you enjoy it.
Star those Skills. Strengths and Talents which provide you satisfaction
and joy.
8.
What really counts for you in life?
Answer this question in any way that
makes sense for you.
9.
Your Personality. What kind of person are you?
Also, how would others describe you?
10. What
are your key Virtues, Vices?
Why?
11. What
were you naturally like as a young child?
Were there good qualities or actions
that since have become diminished
or lost? If so, list them.
12. What
do you want out of life?
List any deeper yearnings or dreams
that are not yet, or only partially,
fulfilled. Why have they not yet
been birthed into reality?
13. What
are you passionate about?
14. Ideally, how
do you want to show up in life? How do
you want to be seen by
others?
(If this is
different than the way you act now, what is different?
How? Why?)
15. How
well do love/accept yourself as you are right now?
If your self love falls
short, or you dislike yourself, what do
you feel you
need to change to love
yourself more? This question is not an
attempt to
define perfection. You can still love and honor yourself and
still have
“flaws”.
Well, there you have a Full Body Authenticity Scan. This inventory holds up the mirror. There’s a lot of inner work here to answer
these questions if you are taking this inventory seriously. Your answers will reveal much about your
natural self, and your inner truth. You
don’t need to do this all in one sitting,
but if you do, allow plenty of time.
You may also wish to do this with a trusted friend.
What to do with all this information? We’ll deal with that in the next blog.
_____________________________
BTW, a really neat press release was done on me a couple
days ago. Here’s the link:
http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release-service/367560
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