ZenSummerIssue

OWNING
AUTHENTIC
For so long I’ve lived with a pit in my stomach. I er knew exactly what was wrong but it was as if some-
nevthing
deep inside was gnawing at me. Something that
wouldn’t let me fully buy into the life my logic and mind
created. I was living on the surface – looking at the ‘on
paper’ version of what should make me happy. Sure
the picture was pretty enough but something on such
a deep and subconscious level was preventing me from
being truly happy.
It was only after my life had been literally flipped upside
down, was I really forced to take stock & trade of what
was working for me and what wasn’t. There’s nothing like
having to rebuild every single thing in your life from the
ground up to get you to rethink your method and this
time I was going to make sure there weren’t any cracks
in the foundation. Why was I making the choices I had
made? Why did I choose the people I had?
I knew I had to get to my truth, find out what I was really
about, honor the facts about myself and live true to them
without apologies and equally without spite or malice
to the rest of the world. It’s a space where my beliefs,
morals, words and actions all are the same. It’s a place of
freedom & acceptance – It’s really only by living authentically
that I can be free.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE
WAYS I PRACTICE LIVING
AUTHENTICALLY:
#1 R.I.P OLD IDEAS – IT’S BEEN ‘REAL’
We all have these old tapes telling us what is acceptable,
what’s good enough, what’s ‘normal’ and what’s
not. The one thing I can tell you for certain is that these
ideas didn’t come from YOU so why are you letting them
define how you live your life? Redefine the answers to
these questions based on the deepest parts of yourself
and start honoring that voice inside you regardless of
what other people think.
4 ZEN LIVING MAGAZINE
BY JAIME LEE, FOUNDER OF ZEN LIVING MAGAZINE
#2 DITCH THE SHOULDS IN YOUR LIFE
Here’s the thing, there is no single way to do life so stop
trying to follow suit. It would be a dull and boring world
if we thought, acted and did the same thing. The only
thing you SHOULD be doing is listening to what your
Inner Voice is telling you and trusting it! I guarantee if
you keep following that, you will end up exactly where
you are supposed to be.
#3 LEARN HOW TO LISTEN
TO YOUR BODY
For me sometimes it’s easier to know what the wrong
thing is before I know what is right. If I am going against
my gut and Inner Voice, I can literally feel it in my body.
I might have a tight stomach, racing heart or tense muscles.
I might not be able to focus. When I am doing the
right thing and when I am being true to myself, I feel
free and expansive. I feel light and open. Learn to pay
attention to these physical cues so that you can check
in with yourself to know whether you are living authentically
or not.
The benefit of owning your authenticity is that you lose all
judgment of yourself and others, become less dependent
on the approval of others and will live in less conflict with
yourself and the world.
Practice these three tips daily and watch your life change
completely & transform!
Have questions or comments on Jaime Lee’s story? Write
to her at zenlivingmagazine@gmail.com.