As the year draws nearer to an end I find myself in a reflective mood, thinking about the road I have travelled, and how that has not only shaped me as a person, but also opened up before me amazing vistas of the future that awaits.
The great thing about life is that it is a constant work in progress, and while the fundamentals that make up our inner selves remain constant, the way we present that to the outside world changes as we grow, evolve, and develop trust in our inner selves to lead the way forward.
Today's blog is dedicated to the lessons I have learned on my own journey back to myself and my authenticity - lessons that have stood the test of good times, and bad times, and helped shape who I am today.
1) Realize your value rather than allowing others to define it for you. It is an absolute fact that you cannot hope to be valued by others until you yourself begin to value YOU. Finding, understanding, and acting upon your own self worth is a difficult road for so many of us, but so absolutely essential to our long term health, happiness, and wellbeing because everything you attract in your life begins with what you believe you are worth attracting.
2) There is immense power in the present. As simplistic as it sounds there is no better place to be than in the moment. The ability to be, and stay in the present, taking in the multitude of layers that the present moment has to offer can literally be life changing.
3) You can’t do life on your own! Life is HARD, and definitely not designed to be lived in isolation. As humans we are wired for social connection which is why so many of us struggle with the digital connection. Social isolation creates an almost physical barrier between us and the outside world which we so desperately need in order to keep our social, creative, spiritual, and physical fires sparking bright and strong.
4) Practice selflessness often. To give of yourself freely is a gift equally as valuable to you as it is to those to whom you are giving. Being of value and service to others has a direct correlation to the value we place on ourselves, and our ability to act with love and kindness towards ourselves.
5) Let go of your expectations. There is infinite freedom in accepting that life will unfold in its own divine timing - no matter how much energy, stress, anxiety, or fear we throw at it. Leaving our expectations at the door allows us to by-pass the potentially negative cycle of expectation and disappointment and allows us to direct our energies to more personally rewarding and effective activities.
6) Relationships take effort. The most important relationship, and the one you will most likely find the most challenging is the relationship you have with yourself. Like any other relationship this one takes care, understanding, and patience in order to find and unleash the unique brilliance within.
7) Commit. Go all in with everything that lights your fire. Regardless of the prevailing opinion on your likely success, the things that matter deserve and demand nothing less than our total whole of self-commitment. You only get one shot at life so go big!
8) Your circumstance is not your destiny. Rest easy in the knowledge that no matter how bad any one day, week, or year may seem, there is beauty and wisdom in the process we are going through. The learning’s we achieve as a result of the tough times are sometimes those that create the very foundations for the good times.
9) Nurture your creativity. Creativity is not an action, it is a state of mind, a state which allows us to see past the expected, to think outside the box and to colour outside life’s predefined lines in order to create a reality that better reflects our authenticity, and allows us to live our unique brilliance.
10) Say YES. Embrace life, say yes to everything that intrigues you, challenges you, lights you up - fill up the spaces in your life with the positive leaving little room for the negative.
To learn more about Deidre Dattoli visit www.deidredattoli.com and take advantage of the complimentary 20 minute 'ask any question' session.