Do you live your life authentically?

This question comes full of opportunity and curiosity. For me, being authentic means I live each day aligned with my purpose and values; for some of us, that has been clear for a long time (my husband is one of those fortunate people). For many of us, that road to finding purpose and understanding our values has been and continues to be a learning journey. Either way, you are not alone. Purpose and values are directly tied to meaning; having meaning in our lives is crucial for survival (Safran et al., 2019). Feeling lost, purposeless, detached from meaning or identity, and uncertain about where our future is going are some of the top reasons people struggle as they transition to adulthood. Many of us don't know what to do about it, so we bottle it up, pack it away., and don't talk about it. If the connection to purpose never actualizes and/or it remains unanswered, the struggle continues through life and can manifest in many ways, like depression, anxiety, confusion, conflict, and even a deep sense of loss or grief. I know because my journey to find my purpose was not easy. I struggled deeply with it and experienced everything I listed above: depression, anxiety, confusion, conflict, loss and more. Mostly, I felt shame. We all have inner voices, and mine was terrorizing me with narratives like: "This is ridiculous; you can't possibly tell anyone how confused you are; you are supposed to be a coach and Executive Leader; people think you've got this all figured out...figure it out already!"
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What is purpose?
​My purpose is to help people live and manage change through the power of mindfulness and storytelling. It has taken me a long time to figure it out, believe it, and enable it. I played with versions of it for a long time, but this feels right and fully connects to my values. Purpose, by definition, helps you and those around you understand intention and meaning, why you do what you do. It puts clarity and reason around your vision (Harvard Business Review, 2023). Having a purpose in life gives you joy, direction, fulfillment, and accountability. Are you clear on your purpose? Don't worry if you are not. It is part of life's journey to discover your purpose. And for some, that journey is a long, winding road.

What are values?
​Think of your values like the rudder to your ship or the alignment of your car...you can tell when they are off course, something doesn't feel quite right, and you know you need to immediately course correct. There are a few common misunderstandings with values. The first is people often confuse them with skills, needs, beliefs, and goals. The second is people equate values with positive attributes about themselves. While it is important to understand the positive attributes, it's what we do with them to turn them into meaningful values that connect directly to our heart, mind and soul. This is often the sticking point for most people and where most of the work needs to be done to refine and define. Want to learn how to dig in and know your core values? I'm running a workshop on April 5th with Courage in Action. Join me and learn more about you. SEE BELOW.

How to live a more authentic life...

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Build or Revisit your core values. JOIN ME for a FREE Core Values workshop on April 5th.
Spend the day with us and build your Courageous Future to take your authentic self to the next level! Registration is FREE, and becoming a member is FREE. I do not typically use this space as a promotional playground; however, I believe this is a meaningful way to unlock your purpose and make excellent connections.

Monthly Sharing Section...

A GOOD READ: I am so proud of my partner and good friend, Alan Muskett. I am absolutely leaving Alan's book here as my good read for another month. He has recently published his book The Burnout Ladder, and I had the privilege to be an early reader. Everyone will benefit from this book. There is something to learn to support others for prevention, management, and noticing. I highly recommend this read if you want to clarify burnout and enjoy activities and an engaged learning environment. Here is a link to the book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/dip5m6S​

WORTH LISTENING TO: Do you enjoy podcasts or audio experiences? I like to immerse myself in a good one from time to time. Check out our podcast. There is an experience for everyone as we cross a variety of genres. You can find all of the episodes we have launched here through this link to The Admit One Radio Hour: https://linktr.ee/admitoneradiohour​

SOMEONE I'M FOLLOWING: I started following Jefferson Fisher a while ago thanks to one of my close friends. He is a Trial lawyer who uses his talent to educate the world about the art of communication. I don't follow many people actively on Instagram, but I will say the following: his content is meaningful, useful, relevant, and easy to apply to real-world interactions. Not only that, but his content is short and sweet. You can check him out here: https://www.instagram.com/jefferson_fisher/?hl=en or his website here: https://www.jeffersonfisher.com/​

NOTE: If you want me to share something with our community that fits nicely under any of the three headings above, please email me directly and share it with me. Here is how to connect: jen@admitone.ca

Monthly Mindful Meditation

This 7-minute meditation is all about establishing a more peaceful and calm mindset. Enjoy and relax.

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With gratitude,
Jen James
jen@admitone.ca
​https://www.doublejstrategic.com/​

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References

How to find your purpose. (2023, September 15). Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2023/09/how-to-find-your-purpose

Safran, D., Kriss, A., & Foley, V. (2019). Psychodynamic psychotherapies. In D. Wedding & R.J. Corsini (Eds.), Current psychotherapies, (11^th ed.). pp.21–58. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.