Living Authentically in Business and Life

 

I am very comfortable with telling others I own my own business.  It was something that took me awhile to settle in with; but I’ve had a few years to practice it ever since my first business back in 2003.  One thing I am not accustomed to telling others is that I am a B O S S or a L EA D E R.  This new role is coming very naturally and I like it.  I am ROCKING it like nobody’s business and I couldn’t be happier.  But it is still scary.

This week Katie and I had our first official Relaxation Works staff meeting.  I think I will be awarding us a certificate of achievement.  This is a really big deal and I didn’t know it until I read this article on Entrepreneur.com about “7 Deadly Sins of Business Meetings”.

I PASSED!  I passed on all 7 deadly sins and you know what, I did it without knowing it.  That right there is proof that being authentic, a real true person that cares and finds joy in other peoples success makes everything else fall into place.  My intentions are good and I continually put my efforts into changing lives and making a difference rather than taking what is only good for myself.  Our staff meeting included client feedback, future planning, current policies and a company trip to Panera bread for some much needed celebratory goodies.

When you are authentic to the very being of your soul everything you put your effort into becomes authentically you.  

Being authentic can be different for many different people but for me it means:

• Staying away from gossip.
• Saying what I mean and mean what I say.
• Practice forgiveness, even when the other person is unaccepting of it.
• Say thank you to EVERYONE.
• Keep improving on my pitfalls.
• Giving up my judgments of others.
  
• Pray.
• Make today a new day even if yesterday SUCKED!
• Keep doing the work and fight internal struggles when giving up seems like a great alternative.
  
• Seeing the best in any situation (this can be hard).

Being transparent in business and life is a huge part of being authentic.  I have not always been authentic and I still work at it every day.  Authenticity has been a big learning curve for me.  I was not born this way or taught this at an early age.  My past struggles include a cluster of bad choices and behaviors.   Change can happen.  If it can happen to me it can happen to you.  Keep trying, keep plugging away at being authentic.  IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOR THE BETTER.