Progress

Interesting how long it has been since I have been here.  Believe it or not, I have made progress in living more authentically, more simply....The need to come here to journal has become almost overwhelming, and I know I need to spend more time here.  To catch you up, since February, I have done the following:

•  Defined what my strengths and gifts are
•  Become clearer on what my core values are
•  Started a new career path - one that nourishes my core and spiritual values
•  Said "no" more often to things that I don't want to do
•  Listened to my higher self on a daily basis
•  Spent more time with friends and social activities 
•  Distanced my self from many people and things that previously drained my energy
•  Fed myself more nourishing foods, saw a natural doctor, started taking vitamins regularly
•  Spent a lot more time working on where I want to go in life
•  Found inner peace through working on all of the above

I am constantly analyzing areas of my life to find out what works for me, and what doesn't.  Most things I look at in my life have some areas that are working and some areas that are not.  The areas that are extreme in working or not, I have been able to make an easier decision to keep or let go.  Of course.  If the decision is clear cut, it makes it easier.  It is the areas where some part of it is good and some part of it is not, that muddies up the waters and takes more analysis to define what is worth keeping. 

In the past 6+ months, I have strengthened my relationships with those I love.  Things are very good with everyone and I can see how working on simplifying my life has paid hugh dividends in this area.  I am happier, so I am easier to be with.  I became such a people pleaser due to the chaos and stress in my life.  I didn't realize how unhappy I was.  The fullness of a life full of stress and chaos just had be going through the motions and pushing what I wanted down, down, down. 

I still have a loooooong way to go to simply my life to be where I want to be, but in looking back, I realize how far I have come and how much happier I am!

Living an Authentic Life

Does living a simple life make one more authentic?  Do we lose ourselves in a mass of chaos that many of our lives have become?   My challenge to myself over the next year is to live a simple life.  I will explore what "simple" means to me, and also, what it means on a larger scale.

My life has become increasing more and more hectic.  I have allowed this to happen but not consciously.  It was like I was a bystander, living outside myself, watching the chaos swirl around me.  During the past how many years, I have been working in stressful jobs, living in a stressful living arrangement, kids going to school, dealing with an ex, elderly Mom being chronically sick.  Similar story to almost everyone I know.  The stressors are different but the chaos is the same. 

I have been working on my core values lately. I am aghast at how far away from them I have grown.  I still have them deep inside but I am not living my life according to them.  I talk the talk but when it comes to walking the walk, I am humbled by how much I have stumbled.  Stress will do that to you. 

There is a saying that 100% of the people who don't set goals will achieve them.  During the next year, I am going to set my goals, re-commit to my core values and simplify, simplify, simplify.

I am going to become authentic again.