Lost of people ask me … to define exactly what the ‘Authentic Self’ is, what is it Imogen? I say, “Good Question”. And it is a good question. What do we do to find a quick answer to a complex question, we go to YouTube. And if it is complex – we look for some TED Talks.

So here are three, well chosen. I leave it to you, to discern … the reason for their selection.

“Shame ~ Lean in to the discomfort of the work …”

~ Brene Brown

1. It has something to do with connection
2. It has something to do with not being certain or being curious
3. Shame might point to it?
4. Vulnerability is needed to have it

“Listening, really listening … not just waiting to speak”

~ Leon Berg

“If you bring forth what is within you, what is within you will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what is within you will destroy you” ~ Jesus, Gospel of Thomas

“Staying in the Fire of Conflict ~ Stay with the feelings”

1. Important difference between ‘hearing’ and ‘listening
2. Listening requires focus and attention
3. Listening is more serious when we are in a conflict with someone
4. Listening is very serious when we are dealing with an enemy
5. We learn to listen or not to listen from our family of origin
6. Our learning about listening is very difficult to change
7. Move from head thinking to heart thinking

Council is the practice of listening and speaking from the heart. It derives from the tradition of story telling” ~ Leon Berg

“Living the Authentic Life” ~ Dr. Maria Sirois

“You have a duty to perform, do anything else, do a number of things, occupy your time fully, and yet, if you do not do this task, all of your time will be wasted” ~ Rumi

1. Authentic Living is self authoring
2. Authentic Living is congruent, meaning same inside and out
3. Give permission to be fully human
4. Authenticity spreads – the more you do it, the more others do it
5. More creativity and more innovation
6. Does not edit or marginalize or delete personal experiences
7. Lives with a sense of wonder and delight

“Come, come, whoever you are. Wonderer, worshipper, lover of leaving. It doesn’t matter. Ours is not a caravan of despair. Come, even if you have broken your vow a thousand times Come, yet again, come, come” ~ Rumi