Mindful Monday: Three (3) Ways to Live More AUTHENTICALLY and AUTONOMOUSLY.

Living #authentically and #autonomously means living a life that feels joyful and fun for you, and unaltered based on the opinions of others.

Here are three things you can start doing more often in order to start living more authentically and autonomously:

1) STOP doing what others expect of you and START doing what YOU envision for yourself.

Throughout childhood, we look to the adults in our lives to guide us and validate our choices; and that transition into #adulting can be difficult. But, now that you are grown, it's time to make YOUR journey through life what YOU want it to be.

2) Be HONEST with yourself.

Identify what you want, expect, and need and then clearly communicate those wants, expectations, and needs with the people they pertain to. Reflect on the emotions you experience and ask yourself why you felt that way. What was really going on? When you experience negative feelings - frustration, anger, sadness - it's important to ask what that was REALLY about for you? Perhaps you were #scared or feeling #insecure.

BE HONEST with yourself and use what you discover to help guide you towards self-improvement and personal growth.

3) ALLOW other people to be surprised by you, or even disappointed, sometimes.

Maybe you have a hidden #talent or interest in a unique #craft. Maybe you are an

#AFOL (Adult Fan of Lego) or your favorite band since high school has been and still is the #BackstreetBoys. Sharing what makes you #distinctive is what authentic living is all about. You were not put on this planet for the purpose of pleasing others or to be liked by everyone. If someone doesn't like the same things as you, is disappointed because you said "no" to an invitation, or feels hurt because you didn't agree with their opinion, that's OKAY. You have provided an opportunity for others to experience a reaction and manage the emotions associated with it, which will allow them to grow and become more authentic themselves. Perhaps you will grow closer with them, maybe you will inspire them, or maybe you will discover that they aren't "your people". All of which is OKAY because it is part of the journey towards living more authentically and autonomously.

If you would like to start a journey towards living a more authentic life, CONTACT Mandy Snider, M.Ed., LMFT at Ascendance Therapy.

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