Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we really are. -Brené Brown
This reset time, and being quarantined, has been a reminder that we are invited to slow down and to meet life on life’s terms.
I have intentionally and persistently chosen to show up and say yes to soulful simplicity. It’s not always easy and things aren’t always joyful. There are challenges and struggles. Life continually has sharp edges that we bump up against. There are also beautiful experiences to savor and tender moments of connection. Creating space to sit outside enjoying a fire, the feeling of a soft breeze on my skin and witnessing a sunset are a few of my favorites these days.
Another aspect of letting go and living authentically means telling the truth about what I want or need. It means doing a lot of hard things, saying yes to risk and loving when it’s challenging. It means putting what’s on my mind and in my heart into words and sharing them online. It means choosing to be brave, to suit up and show up and to be a beginner.
Additionally, authenticity has meant walking through dark valleys, and not quitting, even though it’s sometimes felt hard and things weren’t working out perfectly as planned. It has meant valuing commitment when I otherwise wanted to run the other way and avoid what may have felt overwhelming. It’s also meant finding my voice and speaking my truth even when it’s felt uncomfortable.
My word for this year is delight. I’ve tried to take delight in the little things and to practice mindful awareness, especially during this time. This has been a process and a continual invitation to let go of things being just so. In a way I feel as though I’ve been in training for a time like this. There have been so many opportunities to stretch and grow, to lean in and trust. There’s never been a better time to be sober, awake and present. Pain is inevitable, but as
I continue to embrace who I truly am, I’m able to listen in and sit with all of it. I want to continue to say yes to all of it, to trust the daily practice of embracing who it is I’m created to be and what it is I’m created to do. To live this beautiful, yet messy, life and to experience it fully.
Grace and Peace,
xo-Lea
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