Authentic Self
Authentic Self
What is the difference between authority and authentic? And how can knowing this difference give you a clear sense of direction, purpose, and joy in life?
When I first began experimenting with listening to my "authentic" self, I wasn't quite sure how I would know if I heard it. Like many of us, I had grown up in a climate of millions of messages from parents, school teachers, experts, friends, books, TV and media. An hour didn't seem to go by without hearing an authoritative message regarding my next decision or behavior, and the messages would play over and over in my head, even when the "authority" wasn't around.
I had grown familiar with the hallmark tone of an 'authoritative' message: it had a certain force to it, and was constructed in absolutes. I assumed that my authentic self would talk to me in a tone bigger, badder, louder and more absolute than those messages I got from everyone else. I waited for the chorus of angels and big voice from the sky...
Then during my study of communication, I noticed that messages with "proper" authoritative tone came in only two basic styles:
1. No/Don't (as in "no parking" "don't litter" "don't talk in the movies," "that is the wrong way,"...) or,
2. Buy ("cantaloupes for 1.09," "Dunkin Donuts are better" "drink milk," "this will help,"...)
Still I waited to be told what to do loudly and with great force, and sometimes bemoaned my apparent lack of Authentic Self. And then I began to notice a third basic type of message, and things began changing:
3. Directive ("listen to your heart" "exit 7A on right" "click here")
Even more importantly, I noticed that there were just a few places that this type of message came from:
1. an external source (such as media, person, book, etc.)
2. internal source--memory (my grandfather said to...)
3. internal source--reason (if this, and that, then next is...)
4. internal source--unattributed
Internal and unattributed is the place to listen for your authentic self...
Next time we'll talk a little about honing in using discernment.
Authentic Self - To learn more about this author, visit Elizabeth Mullen's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
From the Advertise for Your Own Life Series (this is Part Two)
What is the difference between authority and authentic? And how can knowing this difference give you a clear sense of direction, purpose, and joy in life?
When I first began experimenting with listening to my "authentic" self, I wasn't quite sure how I would know if I heard it. Like many of us, I had grown up in a climate of millions of messages from parents, school teachers, experts, friends, books, TV and media. An hour didn't seem to go by without hearing an authoritative message regarding my next decision or behavior, and the messages would play over and over in my head, even when the "authority" wasn't around.
I had grown familiar with the hallmark tone of an 'authoritative' message: it had a certain force to it, and was constructed in absolutes. I assumed that my authentic self would talk to me in a tone bigger, badder, louder and more absolute than those messages I got from everyone else. I waited for the chorus of angels and big voice from the sky...
Then during my study of communication, I noticed that messages with "proper" authoritative tone came in only two basic styles:
1. No/Don't (as in "no parking" "don't litter" "don't talk in the movies," "that is the wrong way,"...) or,
2. Buy ("cantaloupes for 1.09," "Dunkin Donuts are better" "drink milk," "this will help,"...)
Still I waited to be told what to do loudly and with great force, and sometimes bemoaned my apparent lack of Authentic Self. And then I began to notice a third basic type of message, and things began changing:
3. Directive ("listen to your heart" "exit 7A on right" "click here")
Even more importantly, I noticed that there were just a few places that this type of message came from:
1. an external source (such as media, person, book, etc.)
2. internal source--memory (my grandfather said to...)
3. internal source--reason (if this, and that, then next is...)
4. internal source--unattributed
Internal and unattributed is the place to listen for your authentic self...
Next time we'll talk a little about honing in using discernment.
Authentic Self - To learn more about this author, visit Elizabeth Mullen's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
![]() | |
| |
No article feedback found. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
|
| |
| |||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. |
![]() | |
![]()
| |
![]() | |
|
| |
![]() | |
|
| |
![]() | |||||||
|
![]() | ||
|
| ||
![]() |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
|
|
![]() |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
![]() |
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"
Click Here To Learn More |
|
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
![]() |
|
|
![]() | ||
|
Email The Reporters
Press Release Builder | ||
|
Top 50 Marketing Blogs
Top Blogs To Watch In 2008 | ||
![]() | ||
![]() | ||||
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||





Subscribe to Elizabeth's articles











