When have you felt most free to be yourself,
Most in tune with your authentic nature?
Were you immersed in your own feelings,
Following your intuition and curiosity,
Letting yourself explore and feel into each moment?
Or were you caught up in judging yourself,
Or worrying about what others thought or felt about you?
Often,
We feel pressure to conform,
To earn approval,
To protect ourselves from rejection.
We internalize the belief that we need to manage how other people see us,
To be safe and belong.
And one day,
We may realize that we are living for the approval of others,
And forgetting to make time to express,
Explore,
Create,
And share our voice.
Reigniting authentic self-expression begins with a choice,
To prioritize your own inner experience again,
To reconnect with how you feel in this moment,
And to make your own enjoyment a priority again.
Maybe for you,
This looks like savoring the taste of your morning coffee,
Feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin,
Or picking up a paintbrush and creating purely for your own enjoyment.
This simple daily practice makes it easier to live and be and express yourself authentically,
Because you are building the skill of tuning into your own inner experience,
Engaging fully with your own sensations,
Feelings,
And curiosity.
It doesn't have to happen all at once,
But we can practice this way of being in just a few moments each day,
And slowly reconnect with the skill of re-centering around our own experience of the present moment.
So,
The invitation is to find a comfortable position,
And if it's part of your practice,
Practice closing the eyes,
Or lowering your gaze in front of you,
Enjoying a deep,
Easy breath in,
And then a long,
Slow exhale.
And in this moment of quiet,
What is something small that you can find to enjoy?
Maybe it's the air on your skin,
Or a sound in your ear,
The support from your seat,
Or the knowledge that you have enough for today.
Just see what you can find to appreciate and enjoy about your own experience of this moment.
And if it feels right,
You might imagine a wide-open meadow on a warm,
Sunny day.
All around you,
A sea of wildflowers,
Each one unique and beautiful in its own way.
Not trying to impress anyone,
Or win anyone's favor,
A wildflower simply is what it is.
It simply grows,
Free and wild.
How would it feel to be a wildflower?
How would you feel standing in the sunlight,
Just being you?
Enjoying the warm sun,
And the cool soil,
And the soft breeze?
No need to impress or compare,
Or earn anyone's approval,
Just enjoying the experience of being you in this moment.
Taking a few moments to connect with your inner experience,
Noticing how it feels to be alive,
And to be you.
Taking a few moments for gratitude,
To appreciate being who you are,
With your curious mind,
Your wild spirit,
Your loving heart,
Your sense of humor,
Your way of moving and being.
What a beautiful gift to pause and appreciate.
And maybe also taking a moment to reaffirm your commitment to your true self,
To prioritize your own inner experience and the gift of living life fully as you are.
Just taking a few moments to set your intention.
And if you like,
I invite you to join me in some gentle affirmations to integrate your learnings.
Feel free to speak these aloud or silently to yourself,
Or simply follow along,
Whatever feels right for you.
I prioritize my own happiness.
I savor little things that bring me joy.
I enjoy the simple pleasure of being me.
I am grateful for the experience of living this life.
I choose to embrace my true self.
I accept myself exactly as I am.
I make joy the measure of my success.
I find joy in each moment.
I listen closely to my heart.
I am here to shine my light.
I am a beautiful expression of life.
And when you're ready,
Just as slowly as you like,
Coming back into the room,
Bringing this sense of connection with yourself,
With you into your day,
And gently open your eyes.
Remember,
Like the wildflower in the field,
You too can choose to simply be,
To enjoy each moment of living life as yourself,
Just because that's who you are.
And the more you make time to connect with and enjoy your inner experience,
And to look for what feels good to you about life,
The easier it will be to connect with yourself and express your true feelings,
Ideas,
Insights,
And voice.
If you enjoyed this meditation,
This is just day one of my 10-day course on Insight Timer,
Authentic Self,
Showing Up With Confidence and Creativity.
This course is an invitation to peel back the layers of self-doubt and self-criticism,
And learn tools to express yourself more fully in the way you speak and move,
The way you create and share your insights,
So you can live with more ease,
More openness,
More trust in yourself,
More connection with others,
And more joy in being fully and completely you.
Take care,
And I hope to see you there.
