photo credit: MarkNick

As I stated in my previous post (the first 5), I take no credit whatsoever for outlining the 10 Characteristics of Authentic People.  Neil Clark Warren did a great job of that in his book, “Finding Contentment.”  For me (and hopefully for you), this post is a reminder of where we find our authenticity and what it means to live according to our Core Self.  

6.  Authentic People are Adaptable and Flexible

People who have learned to be authentic are not annoyed and upset by every little change that comes along.  They aren’t so rigid and unbending that the inevitable twists and turns of life rock their world.

Authentic people have what I call healthy adaptability - the kind that is free from resentment and feelings of abuse.  They are so inwardly secure and sure of who they are that change for the benefit of a valued relationship will seem relatively easy.  On the other hand, someone who is insecure and out of sync will tend to be defensive and angry when confronted by the need for change.  Survival in life requires constant adaption, and those who master the skill are headed toward contentment. >> More..

Tags: authentic, gratitude
Posted in Empowerment, Life Change, Spirituality | 3 Comments »

 

photo credit: markhillary

“Fight Truth Decay.” I saw that slogan on a sign along the road on my way home from my brother-in-law’s house. I had to take a picture of it because it meant something to me–albeit something different than it did to the church that posted it on a billboard.

Here’s what it means to me: Our truth is really our spiritual existence, and by spiritual existence, I’m talking about something that goes way beyond our belief systems. Beliefs are what we learn. Core truth is what is and what will always be.

For more on what I’m talking about, check out an article on self-love written by Hara Estroff Marano in Psychology Today.

In it, Marano gets to the heart of what core truth is by nicely summing up what self-love is:

Core Truth 1: Honor who you are. Remember you are meant to be in this world, both having this physical human experience as well as existing as a spiritual being of pure love, peace, and perfection. Honor that core person, for it is the truth of who you really are.

Core Truth 2: As a human, you are capable of creating joy, happiness, pain, sadness and suffering in your life. Choose what you will create. You have the power to control your own destiny through this self-will.

Core Truth 3: You are always evolving and becoming a better and more refined human being. This is your purpose in life.

Ultimately, to understand this core truth, it’s important not to confuse why you are here, your role for existing. As Marano says, “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”   

Tags: choice, choose, happiness, joy, self-love, self-worth, Spirituality, truth
Posted in Depression, Empowerment, Life Change, Spirituality | 53 Comments »

photo credit: respres

I was walking with my daughters and my husband last night on the dark trail that winds behind our house, and we saw so many fireflies along the way. They flashed their tails and then, just as quickly, they vanished. An instant later, another two would light up. Our eyes had to dart around to keep up with all their illumination. 

My husband said to my daughters, “Keep looking, girls. You’ll see the fireflies!” 

They kept trying to find the bugs, and I did too. I’d catch one putting on a show, and just as that one dimmed, I’d see another light up in my peripheral vision. But by the time I turned to see it, it was gone. 

It made me realize that, no matter how much I squinted into the darkness, the harder I looked for the next firefly, the less likely I was to see one. 

That got me thinking about how life is the same way.  >> More..

Tags: beliefs, divine timing, firefly, free will, Intuition, life
Posted in Intuition, Life Change, Spirituality | 16 Comments »