Authenticity in Action

If you were a household appliance ...

Are you familiar with the term 'head fake'?

A 'head fake' teaches people things they don't realize they're learning until well into the process. If you're a head fake specialist, your hidden objective is to get others to learn something you want them to learn before they're able to get in the way of the learning.

The 'head fake' technique is also very valuable when doing inner emotional and/or spiritual work ... it often allows the 'a-ha' realization to surface before the mind has a chance to rationalize, manipulate or block it.

I was thinking that our work on Authenticity might be a good place to experiment with the 'head fake', for those who are not familiar with its ability to open new paths of reflection. If this is something that works well, perhaps we can introduce it every now and then to keep the conversation flowing ~ and feel free to use it on your own when you've thought about things as hard as you possibly can and still can't come up with answers that satisfy you.

Here's how I'm applying it today. I'm going to ask you to compare yourself to an inanimate object with which you have some familiarity. Don't think about this or over-analyze it ... simply jot down the first response that comes into your head (even if that response surprises you or makes no sense to you) ... and then continue reading the remainder of this post.

Ready? Two questions. Forget that you're human for a moment - if you were a household appliance ...

1.  What household appliance do you feel like most often?

2.  What household appliance do you wish you could be?

Don't think about it - just write down the two appliances that came to mind, one for each question.

Okay, now - let's talk. (And for those who would prefer to reflect on this in private ... please honour that need to do so. We all go about healing differently - public or private, it's all good if you come out feeling a little more empowered in the end.)

Looking at the appliance you feel like most often -- think about the functions that appliance serves, and ask yourself, "what is it about that appliance that makes me wish I could be something else?"

For me - it was a Toilet.

The toilet is necessary, in need of constant cleaning, in touch with evereyone throughout the day and positioned in high traffic areas of the house.

The toilet is also taken for granted (until it breaks down, bungs up or ceases functioning), crapped on, seen as a channel for waste and no matter how you accessorize or dress it up ... it's still just a toilet.

The appliance I would like to be more often? The Magic Bullet.

This wondrous, magical, sleek device – takes food items I’d rather avoid and pulverizes and annihilates them with just a little pressure from my upper body, wrists and hands.  It makes healthy soups and smoothies for those who avoid fruits and vegetables like the plague - it takes up little space, it's user-friendly so anyone can take ownership of getting it to work and it looks cool too.

And as I whip wondrous concoctions together in this awesome appliance - I feel magical and powerful in my ability to bring health and nutrition to my family in a pleasing way.

And sometimes, for fun - I imagine myself throwing in hurtful experiences, moments in time I wish I could take back, toxic people and other black energy – tossing them all into the see-through container and, with the slightest of pressure … watch them get pulverized and annihilated before my very eyes into a glorious concoction that has transformed itself into something meaningful and benefical instead.

So while I respect and value my role as the Toilet, I don't care much for the aspects that leave me feeling taken for granted or the channel for waste.

And as I journey towards greater Authenticity - I will imagine myself more like a Magic Bullet - an alchemy device that transforms unfavourable elements of my life into something more healthy, useful and beneficial.

For those of you who desire to share - what two appliances did you choose in this exercise ... and what will you take from that as you journey towards greater Authenticity?

It doesn't have to end just 'cause it's over ...

For 5 fabulous and insightful weeks, many of us have participated in Brene Brown's Authenticity Workshop.

Rising above pain and confusion, we've willingly looked within and shared what we perceive to be blocks to our ultimate connection with our Authentic selves ... and the process has been as wonderful as it has been emotionally difficult.

The 5 weeks have come to an end - but the journey, for many, is far from over. Many of us desire to continue the emotional support, encouragement and experience sharing as well.

I've started a PNN Group called Authenticity Group that can be accessed by clicking here.

Somewhere on the right-hand side, I believe near the top of the screen, you'll see Join ... this Group. Click on that, check the box that asks if you desire to receive emails when posts are made to this Group, then click Join Group.

In Brene Brown's Final Post Discussion - a few of us thought it would be great if we all posted once a week or so about our progress or experiences in our Authenticity Quest - thus allowing the sharing, encouragement and support to continue.

Here's How To Do That:

1. Create your blog post on your own site page as you would any other blog post. When you're ready to upload it for the community - select Authenticity Group in the Post to Group box where you select the place you want your post to be published. This will send your post to the Inboxes of everyone who has joined the Authenticity Group.

2. If you'd like your blog post to be read by a vaster audience, then go back to your site page after publishing your post to the Authenticity Group, click the word edit that appears in the top left-hand corner of your blog post text box, go to the Post to Group selection box, and select another location for your post to be uploaded to - and then click Post and continue through the process as per usual. This will then send your blog post to everyone on your Follower list as well as putting your post in the channel you've designated it to appear in.

Joining the Group is important if you desire to be triggered everytime a new blog post is created that relates to this Authenticity process.

And this Authenticity Group is open to anyone who desires to join it ~ there are no pre-requisites, you did not have to actively participate in the 5 week workshop ... a desire to be part of an inspiring group of women seeking to encourage, support, heal and help each other to connect to their own, individual place of authenticity is all that is needed to be part of this group.

The willingness to be vulnerable in a trusted and safe environment is a very empowering step towards connecting to the parts of our Selves that deserve to be unearthed, dusted off and released to run free. I thank you all for moments we've shared over the last 5 weeks - and I look forward to the wonder continuing in this new format.

Blessings to all ...