The freedom of being who you are

Many of us do not know how to express our truest message or what it is like to feel the freedom to just be who we are, with no pretenses.

by Stacy Badger — 

Do you show the world who you are? Do you awaken each day with an awareness of what your truth is and ready to share this message through your words and actions? Or do you hide — afraid to let the world see who you are and what you represent?

Many of us do not know how to express our truest message or what it is like to feel the freedom to just be who we are, with no pretenses. I am referring to the freedom to simply be oneself, with nothing to prove to anyone.

Sounds too simple, does it not? “Just be?” you might ask. “Just live and breathe through the authenticity of my being, and I will feel freedom?” Yes, it is that simple — but simple does not necessarily mean that this is easy. It often involves going through some difficult life lessons in order to get there.

You may have to go through experiences that will bring you to your knees and force you to really look at yourself. Sometimes, it even takes hitting rock bottom to unearth your truest self. Know this, though — it is well worth the trials and tribulations in order to discover the part of you that is waiting to step out and show its face to the world.

Discovering this aspect of self requires the examining and reflecting on how you have lived your life so far. When you do this work, you will likely find situations and emotions that keep repeating — that seem to come up over and over again, month after month, year after year. These will only end when you find the courage to go inside and look at yourself honestly.

Ask yourself this series of questions: Who am I? Am I holding back who I really am? Do I hide my gifts and, thus, deny the world? Am I cheating myself and the world by denying everyone of my true being? Peace lies in the answers to these questions. If you cannot find peace inside yourself, you will not find it anywhere.

To look inside to truly know yourself and show who you are to the world requires courage. But through this process, you will enable that part of yourself you thought you had lost to come out of hiding — not as the same person but as the real person — the person who you truly are.

Stacey Badger is an author and speaker. Her first book, Over the Rainbow will be released this fall. She previously practiced law for 10 years, did corporate business training and worked with Dreamtime, LLC. 480-208-2030.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 29, Number 3, June/July 2010.