At a young age, I was taught the lesson of acceptance. When one is a guest, do what is required to be acceptable to the individuals who belong. If one is visiting a community, do what fit within the norms, do not offend, and, ideally, bring a gift. Communities vary, it could be a client, relatives, wherever, the formula remains the same.
The lesson was infused into my thinking and being. When I went to school, the goal was to fit in. When I was at home, harmony was more important than authenticity. Work was a place where I earned the trust I had been given when I was hired. Anything resembling church was a place of conformity with stereotyped words, sounds, and behaviors.
One might think what follows either reinforce or dramatically challenge the status quo. Life’s Whispers did not lead to being a rebel for the sake of rebellion. There is something more at the center of moving beyond accepted norms and into a place where one’s authentic self is let loose with freedom, choice, and accountability joining in.
Authentic living starts with knowing and embracing one’s heart and mind. Having a clear awareness of the values one holds closest to one’s heart is a great place to start. Feeding one’s values or working to change them to fit one’s aspirations is a life-long priority. In my experience, starting with the center is starting with my life’s “why”.
There is a difference between being acceptable and being authentic, respectful, and kind. The first eliminates the negatives, the second brings a gift to the community. The gift in this case is one’s positive intent. If one is following the sequence of the golden circles, this step is the sequence of letting loose is all about the “how”.
Fun creativity follows. One’s authentic self has lots of room to let loose with context. What one does has a reason and method. A great example of letting loose is the psalmist’s call; “Praise him with castanets and dance, praise him with banjo and flute;” (Psalm 150.4)
