Monday, July 9, 2012

Your Authentic Self

You can see it in his eyes.

When you ask him a question, he studies you as if looking for the answer; or maybe he just responds with a smile or a soft sigh.

He takes his time when trying out a new toy; he studies each piece and has to make a choice between one thing or another; he seems reluctant to let one go for the other; he goes back and forth then settles, satisfied--for the moment.

He remembers the song on his piano as you sing it to him; he smiles and laughs in recognition of the tune and even tries to sing along with new longer sounds.

He studies different fabrics, whether the softness of a blouse, the waffle-like pattern on a robe, or the string from a tie. He fingers them slowly, repeatedly as he absorbs texture, movement, color.

His laughter is soft sometimes, depending on what he is responding to; perhaps a repeated song or a question. Or when he is asked a question and given an answer with a funny animal sound or two, he laughs heartily, showing his growing, unique sense of humor.

He makes choices; when he goes too far from his center on the living room floor, he is called back. He turns each time he hears his name and decides what to do. Sometimes he's not sure and wants to keep going. Often he turns around to return to center where he knows he'll enjoy interaction and play with another.

He hangs on to his Nuk Sippy Cup, the one with the blue and orange handles, after he finishes chugging it in less than a minute, even when you suggest giving it up to be washed.

He is already experiencing what it is to possess something.

He also knows when something doesn't belong to him and you say no.
He cannot put other's clothes in his mouth; he cannot pull at necklaces and earrings.
He knows, with reminders, what  his boundaries are.
Sometimes he pushes them; other times he remains content to just be.

Choices. Memory. Response. Desire. Action.

All requirements to develop an authentic self.

He doesn't wonder if he is authentic in his personality; he just absorbs the love, the care, and the sincerity that surrounds him and grows naturally from that place.

Sometimes it can help to return to that natural inner child; the place of authenticity, of a new reality.

Each choice, each memory, each response, each desire, each action has potential to teach what is not known, to inspire to greatness, to reveal inner workings of the mind and heart, and to nurture what is true and lovely on the inside.

Listen to your heart; pay attention to what you are drawn to; love yourself; aspire to do your best with what you have.

Your Authentic Self will emerge and grow as you look to sincerely be who you really are.
In all of your beautiful, magical, creative, practical, and logical dimensions.

Let your Inner Child refresh you from the inside out...and watch what happens.

© 2012 by Dawn Herring


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Three Steps Toward Accountability...to Yourself (as published in SFC Newsletter, Dec 08 edition)

Accountability: to give a reckoning or explanation for one’s actions, responsible.

When most people think of accountability, they often negatively associate it with answering to others, such as a spouse, a friend, a mentor, or, in most cases, a boss. As a writer, you are your own boss, which is one of the reasons that you need to be accountable to yourself. And it can be a positive experience rather than a negative one.

The first step in being accountable to yourself as a writer is setting goals for your writing and keeping track of projects you want to finish. Incurring a deadline for yourself can help
motivate you in this area. This step can also include daily writing goals. Some authors plan how many words or pages per day they will write.
I’ve set goals for myself as a writer by making them reachable and attainable. This year I have set a goal to write at least one scene for my novel per week and at least one other piece,
whether it be memoir or essay, per week. That can mean just making notes, writing a first draft, or revising a draft.
As long as your goals keep you moving forward and you’re making progress, then you know you’re headed in the right direction.

Once you have your goals set, the next step in accountability to yourself is writing down what you accomplish each day. You can use a daily calendar just for writing or keep track of your
daily accomplishments on your computer. I designed a custom monthly writing calendar. It helps me track what I write daily, whether or not I’ve met my goal for the week, and it has
space for ideas for future writing pieces. I also have a spot to keep track of books I’m reading for that month. I use abbreviations to keep the daily writing easier and to save space. As I review each completed month, I can go back to see what I’ve accomplished and keep track of when I wrote each piece.
Whether you use something pre-made or customize something for yourself, use whatever works for you and helps you stay accountable to yourself.

A third, and perhaps most important, aspect in accountability in your writing is taking care of yourself as a writer. Than can mean giving yourself space and not being hard on yourself if
you don’t reach your goals each day or each week.
Flexibility and refreshment are paramount to your health as a writer. It also frees up your creativity and can actually help you produce more quality writing in the long run.
I enjoy writing in my journal, reading fiction or memoir, and watching a good movie with my family. Taking a walk, listening to music, talking with your family members, and just taking time to sit and enjoy life are all ways you can be good to
yourself—and ultimately accountable—as a writer.

Learn to celebrate your accomplishments and your uniqueness as a writer. That’s one of the best ways to be accountable—to yourself!