I was really inspired by the truth of this quote. As I created the picture of me with the quote above, I remembered the day I went to meet Kim at the Kim Finn Photography studio to do this photo shoot…I was stepping out of my comfort zone.
I remember thinking that there were so many things that were not right. I had gained weight, I was letting my hair go natural (that alone was huge), I didn’t like my hair that day, I felt I was too pale etc. Maybe I should wait until everything is just right? But when is that?!?! I could be waiting for a long time. Ugh!
Then, it occurred to me. I had been working on being authentic for a long time. Was my self-worth really tied to all this superficial stuff? Girl! I thought, if you are so keen on being authentic, you are going to have to own it…all of it! The good, the bad and the ugly-and that takes courage, my friends! 
Being authentic takes constant work and self-vigilance. It is not easy to journey within, with acceptance and understanding, and without self-criticism. Being authentic is a process of Self-awareness. It is a process of becoming aware of our thoughts, our actions, our deeds, and understanding the root of their existence.
In yogic philosophy, it is called Svadhyaya (self-study).
If we are being completely honest with ourselves, what we uncover is not always pretty. In fact, it can be painful, but pain simply means “pay attention here”. This is where change needs to happen, and change takes courage too.
Remember this, you are braver than you think, stronger than you look and more beautiful than you can possibly imagine. Be brave and dare to be your Self…own it, all of it!
It is just like yoga-start where you are.
As you become more grounded in your own authenticity, you give others the courage to do the same.
Remind yourself that you cannot fail at being you.
Love, Grace*
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