AuthentiCity: Essential Tool for Personal Growth

I read some place awhile back that personal growth is not about adding to the person you are, but more about peeling and stripping away the layers you’ve added over the years. These layers cover and conceal your authentic self. I completely agree.

As infants we’re in complete touch with the person we are…our needs and feelings. As we grow into children, we naturally move toward the things that are fun or stir up our curiosity. However, as we get older, we’re taught that certain aspects of our behavior are unacceptable and if we want to be loved, we’re going to have to fall into step. To fit in we give up our hopes and dreams. We become mirror images of the people in our circle.

This changing of oneself continues throughout our lives, blindly molding and sculpting us into someone others think we should be. This continuance is detrimental to our authentic self because it enables our inner fire to be extinguished. Nobody escapes entirely; it’s comes with being human. Personal growth is about discovering ourselves, remembering our dreams and reconnecting with our authenticity.

So where do you find your authentic self? It’s not a big secret if you know where to look. It has always been right where you left it…submerged under layers and layers of life’s road blocks and conditioning. You are going to have to strip away each layer carefully and strategically. This journey is not without pitfalls or stumbling blocks. The work sometimes will be tedious. There may be no cheers from the sidelines. However, the work is vital to developing a rich and fulfilling life and to successfully excavating the treasure that has been waiting to be discovered for quite some time. Are you ready or are you afraid? Fear in this case is a healthy indication that you are at the crossroads of change. Go ahead…take that step. Listen for your authentic voice. The authentic YOU is eager to show you the way. Trust me…YOU are worth every effort.

Beverly Jones-Durr is known as the Clarity Ninja and Mindset Shifter because she teaches clients, consultants and other service professionals how to eliminate the fog, remove the clutter and focus on their purposeful and intentional path. She is the creator of Sistahs Unlimited, a program that teaches women how to develop their authentic selves and create action plans that are both attainable and measureable. Join the Sistahs Unlimited VIP Community today and learn how to live your best life! You can also follow Beverly on Twitter, FaceBook and YouTube.