What is the most daring thing you have ever done? Your first answer might be a feat of physical danger. But there is something more daring than bungee jumping or skydiving. Something more courageous than climbing up the side of Mount Kilimanjaro. The most daring thing you will ever do is to be fully authentically yourself.
We were asked to create an image of the heart in an art class I attended. Not the blood thumping organ of the body but heart as our spiritual center. Immediately I saw the heart as a cracked open piñata. Inside the heart-shaped piñata was a tree with oranges growing on it. There was a swing attached to one of its branches and a golden infant sitting on the swing.
The photo, on this blog, is of the piñata I created in that class. To this day that image holds true for me. In the center of our metaphorical hearts is a golden child. For me, she represents our authentic, intuitive, joyful, creative self. A part of us that can and often does become buried. Our job here on planet Earth, is to let that golden self shine.
Does this sounds scary and overwhelming?
To stay true to who we are in a world that is constantly trying to form us into something else does take bravery. Often the first half of our lives is marked by a series of choices designed to make us acceptable to outside forces. Try as we might, it is nearly impossible to resist covering over our uniqueness as we find a place in the adult world.
In the second half of life, if we are brave, we reveal our core self with all its quirky authenticity. This process is often assisted by life events. Heartbreak in its many forms: the loss of a job, partner, friend or problems with health and money create cracks in a carefully constructed life. Losses like these or even a growing sense of discomfort can awaken a desire to live closer to our core.
What if our intention for the year of 2013 is to live so we reveal our true self? How might that effect our daily choices? Here are some examples of intentions that clear away clutter and invite authenticity…
- I am the possibility of speaking my truth.
- I am the possibility of full self-expression.
- I am the possibility of living my dreams.
Words like these can help us peel back layers that are no longer needed. These intentions are not designed to give a list of measurable behaviors. An intention is an ongoing reminder of how we want to live. As we look over a day or a week we can reflect on how our choices embody them. Intentions are buoys, navigational markers, in a sea of daily decisions that allow us to ask, Am I a reflection of my intention? And If not, What do I need to shift or change?
To manifest your authentic, intuitive, joyful, creative self — well, that is the real meaning of daring more.