Are You Feeling Stuck In Life?
Do you ever feel as If you are just going through the motions? Have you at any point asked yourself if you made the right choices or wondered what could have been? Unsatisfied, bored, or depressed, do you feel like something vital is missing?
If you find yourself starting to have more questions than answers, especially the hard ones such as, “Is this all there is?… Who am I anymore?… Who am I really?” you may need to undertake some honest self-reflection and a sincere inventory of where you are in life.
Perhaps you have some idea of what you want from your life but fear that it’s too late to pursue it or that the effort would be too risky. Or, maybe you’re just worried that you don’t have what it takes so you feel trapped and unsure of how to create what it is that you truly want. If you’re feeling dissatisfied, unhappy, or frustrated about where you are at this point, even if you can’t quite put your finger on the reason, you may be living an inauthentic life.
Finding One’s Way Is Never A Simple Task
While it may seem like everyone around you has it “all figured out and put together,” it’s normal to struggle at one point or another to identify your life’s purpose, pursue your dreams, and reach your full potential. This is especially true if you’ve just gone through or are going through a divorce, illness, career change, or other big life transition.
Challenges like these are common at every stage of human development. For instance, the new choices and responsibilities inherent in leaving home and starting life on one’s own invite a great deal of self-exploration for adults in their 20s and 30s as they strive to form an individual identity. This time period is often characterized by a sense of uncertainty and a longing for guidance.
Later in life, the monotony of the daily grind and the onset of mid-life can inspire some big questions, namely: “What am I really doing with my life?” If you’re in your 40s, 50s, or older, you may be wondering how to deal with a “mid-life crisis,” the term our culture at large uses to refer to this exploratory life period.
It’s true that the questions and realizations that often occur at this stage can contribute to feelings of confusion and self-doubt, but they also represent an opportunity to develop and step into your full self-expression and bring into being your most genuine and authentic self. I like to refer to this period of a person’s life the same way that renowned psychologist Carl Jung did: not as a “mid-life crisis,” but as a “mid-life awakening.”
What Keeps Us From Being Fully Authentic?
Each one of us has an innate, natural, and authentic way of being in the world. Often, in the process of growing up, we lose this connection to our true self and our generative creativity and become locked into ways of being that are not natural to us.
If you’re a woman, you may have been discouraged from having your own wants and needs, developing your abilities, or fully expressing yourself. If you’re a man who grew up being shamed for any emotional expression, you may have since cut yourself off from your feelings. This suppression of your true essence can lead to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and a nagging sense that something is missing.
For example, your parents may have discouraged certain elements of your personality. If, as a child, your primary caregiver(s) failed to make you feel heard and understood, you might have grown up with a feeling of not being good enough, especially if one or both of your parents often criticized you, compared you to others, or withheld praise or affection.
Perhaps you had to act as an emotional caretaker for a parent who suffered from a mental illness, addiction, or personality disorder. If you tend to bottle up your feelings, fearing the consequences of asking for what you want and need, we’ll explore how the behaviors that protected you in childhood are likely no longer serving you now and, in fact, may be holding you back.
Getting out of a rut and creating movement out of recurring patterns can be challenging. With the help of an empathic and compassionate psychotherapist, you can get back in touch with your true nature, find a clearer path for the future, and draw greater meaning and richness from your life.
What Does Being Authentic Mean?
Authentic Living is a willingness to venture forth and take risks that are wisely informed by your deepest self-knowing. It means having the courage to never turn your back on yourself, to cease to abandon yourself and face the unknown with a clear mind and an open heart.
Authentic Living psychotherapy offers a safe, nonjudgmental place for you to explore your deepest self, in all its complexity and wonder. Our work together will help you to process the pain of unhealed emotional wounds, allowing you to uncover who you really are so that you can begin to move forward in creating the life you envision for yourself.
As you consider Authentic Living psychotherapy, you may wonder. . .
Will it be uncomfortable?
Exploring your deepest fears, unmet dreams, and unhealed emotional wounds from the past is hard work. Facing them with a compassionate therapist by your side will make it easier, and the rewards will be worth it. If you hold back from saying “yes” to the big picture of your life, you may feel safer in the short term, but you will likely experience more suffering in the future. Our work together will allow you to look inward openly and honestly and make friends with whatever you encounter. As you do this, you will find deeper meaning and satisfaction in all aspects of your life.
Will others judge me if I make big changes in my life?
It’s true that as you become more in tune with your authentic self, it may result in your making some substantial changes. On the other hand, you may choose to stay the course. In either case, making choices from a place of authenticity and wholeness will allow you to be more confident in your decisions, and experience less shame when others disagree with you. You’ll also be less likely to internalize the judgments of others and more likely to pursue the things that actually make you happy.
I’m afraid that if I start making decisions, I’ll make the wrong ones.
Yes, there is always an element of risk in making a commitment, and our work together will help you learn to make choices that are aligned with who you really are and what you want out of life, making it more likely that you’ll be happy with those choices. No matter the outcome, you’ll be moving forward instead of standing still. Each step you take towards honoring your true self will get you closer to your goals and teach you something new about yourself, giving you a taste of how gratifying it is to be fearlessly authentic.
Live Your Best Life
The path to well-being and a good life is paved with authenticity. You can be true and be you!If you’re ready to start living life to its fullest, give me a call today at 720 815 8368 for a free, 20-minute phone consultation.