Inner Peace and Happiness Comes From Hearts Desire

Today is a day worth remembering

When doubts, self-destructive tendencies, self-blocks cloud the truth that lays within our heart, we become less communicative with the voice and begin a long arduous path of detachment and emotional upheaval.

While we use our brain to live out each day, which is often influenced by our surroundings, our heart cannot be manipulated by anyone else. Our brain is a wonderful faculty given to us to recognize that we can learn from our experiences, as lessons to live out in this lifetime.

In the same way, we use our eyes to see and our hands to touch, both need remembering. Equally our heart needs remembering to improve the connection to our truth. Our brain can choose what we want to believe, but when we properly use the facility of our heart to connect everything that is needed is given.

Hearts Desire

Living with your hearts desire will never hide from you as it knows the truth of who you are. For ages it has been said we should follow our heart.

Your heart knows your true self, the spark of your truth and is always present and patiently waiting for you to recognize what is being freely given to you.

You are blessed with this creation that is the key to your true self. The spirit the spark that provides us with the connection to our truth. Each day, each experience, each spoken word, each emotion we feel center us within our "truth" of who we are. It gently nudges us or sometimes giving us no option but to pursue our rediscovery of our true self.

To start awakening the heart is by starting to understand heart consciousness. It does not take work; it takes remembering, we must only remember to turn our intention and consciousness toward our heart where so many beautiful things will be brought to you, as lightness, calmness, peace, happiness and joy beyond all things you most likely forgot

When you open your heart, in its depth, there is a knowing and familiarity, despite perhaps never having studied or followed this path before.

Sakyamuni Buddha taught "Calmness is within you, do not look outside of you" Yet you don't have to be a Buddha to see how those who chase down world success in an effort to be happy and peaceful.

Some may find awakening the heart difficult, often impossible if you are seeking wealth. You may attain success and material goods, but serenity and happiness will always still be in front of you, just out of reach.

All the courses, books and tapes listened to act as great facilitators and tools; but, never will they take the place of what you know within yourself. Your heart has always been there for you. It has never left you and will always remain with you.

Exercise Time: Awakening the Heart Consciousness

• Place your right hand on your heart centered area.

• Shift your attention to this area on your body and consciously connect with your heart.

• Allow the energy to flow in and out.

• Relax

• Smile to Your Heart

• Surrender

What is different about this connection? You do not have to think about it. The connection is so natural that it resonates without conflict. The heart simply just "IS". There is no conflict from mind to heart.

The KNOWING takes over. Peacefulness is at hand. Your hearts desire brings to your consciousness guiding you. Listen, trust, allow and let go.

Heart centered consciousness is our pathway to a much larger human shift into a new way of existence. As you practice and continue to have experiences of heart centered consciousness, you will be far removed from stress where burdens turn into joy.

This is the true connection that keeps you centered. Staying in your heart consciousness outwardly affects every decision, each thought, each activity... you will no longer be making decisions separate from your heart. Instead everything begins with and ends within your heart center.

The heart is a bridge between the earthly and spiritual levels of human consciousness.

Awakening the Heart is where spiritual awakening occurs, changing one's viewpoint of reality permanently.

Once we see and experience this expanded realm of the heart consciousness, it enhances our views and abilities for life where we shed negative attitudes and perceptions.

The energy of the heart is the energy of love.

The Heart knows no other. All that we have to be is love.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Inner-Peace-and-Happiness-Comes-From-Hearts-Desire&id=10468714

3 Extraordinary Ideas To Help You Realize Lasting Freedom

In those silent, but magnificent moments of life -- where we are suddenly given a glimpse of something so beautiful that it quiets the mind -- we know that we stand in the presence of something that represents a new and higher order of ourselves. What we've yet to understand about these fleeting experiences is that they are an invitation to become fully conscious of these timeless and vital forces as a living part of who and what we are in reality. In such moments we know, without having to think about it, that as beautiful as the world around us may be, it pales in comparison to the world that awaits us within us. Let's illustrate this last idea.

If you've ever taken a walk through a deep wood on the sunlit day and stood in the silent shafts of light streaming down and through the trees, then you know, even though these bright beams seem to appear randomly and separately, each ray of light comes from a common source: the sun. The same holds true with these beautiful timeless qualities that sometimes streak into and through our hearts and minds. These celestial characteristics are the too-fleeting expression of our own yet to be realized True Self. But if this is true, which it is, what is it that keeps us from permanently entering into this extraordinary life? As you'll see, the answer is surprising!

We don't really know where to look! Or perhaps, more clearly stated, we tend to be looking in the wrong places because, at present, we see our life through a part of us-our senses-that "tell" us that we live apart from all that we see. The sorry result of this incomplete perception is undeniable: instead of an undivided relationship with the extraordinary life within us, we are reduced to a frantic search outside of ourselves, at best finding only temporary fragments of the freedom for which we so long.

How do we regain -- realize -- our relationship with the innermost truth of ourselves? What must we do to enter into a conscious relationship with the extraordinary life within us? Use the following three simple exercises to do two things at once: first, to reveal what stands between you and the higher freedom you seek, and then to release you from the same. There's an old saying that "rain follows the plow." So is it true that realizing our true higher possibilities follows the interior work necessary to realize them.

1. Open Up To Real Life: Dare to see and experience yourself as you are without giving names to any of the myriad states of self that present themselves before your inner eyes. Resist the temptation to interrupt whatever thoughts and feelings are rushing through you by trying to explain to yourself why you're having the experience that you are. Why open yourself up to life in this way? Because it's the only way to see that the true extraordinary you can no more be defined by a single thought or feeling then can the sun be known through a solitary beam of light.

2. Do What You Fear Doing: Every time you will take the leap into what you are psychologically afraid of doing, the extraordinary life within you will prove that its unshakable ground is beneath you at all times. To know that you can't fail as long as you're willing to learn what the moment reveals about yourself is the same as understanding there's nowhere for you to go but up!

3. Take Time Once A Day For Your Self: What we must remember is that the extraordinary life is timeless, and if we would share its life, we must enter into its world. Here's a good place to start: whenever you can remember to do so, choose to consciously step out of that gilded, but self confining, cage called "thinking about yourself." At least once a day sit quietly with the intention of observing the movement of your own mind. Learning to watch your thoughts in this impersonal way gradually teaches you what can be discovered in no other way: just as the hands of a clock can only go around and around, so it holds true for the level of mind always frantically searching for highest possibilities in passing time. Who you really are is timeless, and only this realization can grant you the extraordinary peace of being who you really are.

https://ezinearticles.com/?3-Extraordinary-Ideas-To-Help-You-Realize-Lasting-Freedom&id=9868954

Are Your Dreams Trying to Tell You Something?

Dreams are so interesting! And, I think that most of us have dreams, even if we don't always remember them. But, if you ask them, it has been my experience that most people can remember at least one dream that they had that really stood out. That they can recall details from at least one dream that was not only vivid, but also seemed to have a message or was trying to tell us something.

Part of the reason that dreams are so darn interesting is because they are little insights and can even act as a portal directly into our unconscious mind, or subconscious mind. Which, in my opinion, is the inner part of us where our true self, or authentic self lives. This is where the real us is, which is the part of us that knows what our hopes and our dreams are, and our deepest fears too. Some people call this part of our mind the "Authentic Self" or true self. I believe that this is also where our soul lives, the part of us that is eternal and reincarnates over many lifetimes.

So, even if we don't know something such as a fear or hope or worry consciously, unconsciously they exist underneath. And so, our dreams are little messages directly from our unconscious mind. And, in my opinion, they are trying to tell us something.

Dreams can contain elements of your past, both from your childhood as well as your past lives. People can have dreams that seem to be in a different time period, or in a different place, or maybe they look different in the dream. Or maybe they were a different gender, or a different ethnicity in their dream. It is also common to see people in dreams that maybe you don't recognize from this life, or that it will seem to be in another time or another place.

It is very common for people to experience past lives that come up in a dream.

And sometimes your dream is about the present, meaning the things that you are scared of or worried about right now. These are the anxiety dreams that feature the things that you are fearful of or worried about, even if you don't know you are worried about them. This can also include the things you hope happen, such as your dreams for the future, in the right now.

It's also possible to experience the future in a dream, or rather the possible or even probable future. This is because the future isn't determined, as we are actively creating the future as we go along, with our own choices. So, it's possible to see something that is a potential future in your dream. I've had people tell me that they have experienced something like a déjà vu sensation, a feeling that they have been there before, one of those strange synchronistic moments, that they later realized was something that they had seen before, in a dream. And so, it is possible to experience the past, the present, and the possible future in your dreams.

In my opinion, there are several ways that you can tell if your dream has a specific message and is trying to tell you something.

#1- it seems to be memorable.

You wake up and you remember it, it seems fresh. It also was vivid and there were details. So, if you remember a dream and it seems to be vivid, or if you remember the same dream often and it is incredibly memorable, that might mean there is a message attached to it or something that dream is trying to tell you.

#2- it's emotional.

If you feel a lot of emotion in your dreams, or if it feels very emotional, it might mean that your dream has a message for you. Perhaps your dreams feel fearful, scary, or sad. Or maybe it felt happy. But, generally if a dream has a strong emotion attached to it, it means that there is something coming up from your unconscious that is connected to an emotion that you feel and is trying to tell you something.

#3- it repeats or is recurring.

The third way that you can tell if your dream is trying to tell you something is if it repeats, or recurs, or comes up often. That usually means that there is a message or that your dream is trying to tell you something.

Now, dreams are difficult because the language of dreams is usually that of symbolism. There are dream dictionaries and encyclopedias out there and lots of resources available to look up what your dreams might mean, but in my opinion, at the end of the day the only person that can translate your dream is YOU. This is because the symbolism that comes up in your dreams is specifically yours, or tied to you. They are your symbols, the way that you see them. For example, you might see clouds in your dream and have a really positive association with them from your childhood, maybe connected with a memory of looking at the clouds with your father, being happy, it was a peaceful moment. And so, if you see clouds in your dream, you might associate that with feeling peaceful, feeling loved, or nourished by a relationship. Or, if you remember being terrified on a plane the first time you flew, and looking out the window and seeing clouds and feeling unsupported or unsafe, if you then see clouds in your dream it might be more connected to those types of emotions. So, although dream guides can be helpful, I think that it is you and only you that can truly translate a dream.

So, once you take all of these elements into account, you can start to break it down. Take your journal out, write it down and start to track your dreams. And start to look at them as messages, that your dreams are you trying to tell you something. And that the inner you or unconscious you is trying to tell the conscious mind you something and get your attention somehow. And, since our conscious mind is often mostly asleep, as we go through the motions of life, it is our dreams that put us in touch with that rich, inner self. It helps us find our authentic self.

So, if you start to look at your dreams as a message, from you or your inner self, then it starts to take on more meaning and then you can start to unravel what your dreams might mean for you.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Are-Your-Dreams-Trying-to-Tell-You-Something?&id=9645333

Me, Myself and Id (By Sherry Lynn Daniel)

Recently, I posted a picture of myself from the past. One person sent me a message saying if she has to keep looking at me showing off, she'll 'un-friend' me. It stung.I pulled the pic immediately. No one understands downplaying success or talent more than me. I'm really good at it.

I have been 'playing small' for years. I have been practicing it for as long as I can remember-not shining too bright, not taking up space, not being too big, not being full of myself, staying humble, little, knowing my place and making sure people don't feel slighted due to my achievements.

Today, I'm dropping those concepts. It is fine to celebrate oneself at least as much as feeling proud about others. When I first entered the arena of social media, I rarely posted selfies or talked about my life. I didn't want to risk people thinking I was self-absorbed.

Finally. FINALLY. I get it. We can only love or admire others to the extent we are able to risk being proud of ourselves. It was a slow transition-one that brought out some of my best writing and true self. It takes a lot of 'likes' or lack thereof to understand that it doesn't matter what people think. It really doesn't.

Self love involves bravery. Posting selfies is hard at first and then it gets easier:this is me, this is my world. If another believes I am too full of myself, it's not really my problem. May we all be too full of ourselves sometimes because being invisible isn't good for the sense of self either.

Good things happen to all of us. The inner voice that says don't post your world, don't shine too bright needs to be silenced every so often. Being humble is both a blessing and a curse.

Once upon a time, I was a beauty queen for a year. Irving, Texas was on the banner across my chest when I went to San Antonio to compete for the Miss Texas crown in the mid-eighties. I hid it for years thinking that pageant contestants were sometimes discounted and cast aside as arm candy.

Since I have crossed the half century mark and time has become more meaningful, I choose to celebrate all the wild and wonderful happenings of this life. As more unfold and I possibly get a book deal, I hope I keep the attitude that we are all worthy of the spotlight every now and then.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Me,-Myself-and-Id&id=9737511

Do You Really Care What Other People Think Of You? (By Kathryn Corbin)

"What will the neighbors think?" That seemed to be the main concern of my parents when I was growing up.

As much as I rebelled against it at the time, and as much as that concern always felt like bondage to me, and as much as I really did see it as an example of how NOT to live, I still internalized the message that it matters VERY MUCH what other people think of me.

What I realize now is that being so concerned with what the neighbors and other people thought of us back then meant we were denying our own inner guidance and our own right to choose the best way to live and especially our own right to choose what feels good to us.

"What will the neighbors think" morphed into what will anyone and everyone - except me - think about me!!! Believing that I was constantly being judged and that it was extremely important not to be judged negatively, my connection with my True Self became tenuous at best.

While I remained in the prison of what other people think of me, my external guidance was playing at full volume and my inner guidance was often set on mute.

"It's just about being you and being cool with that." - Carmine Gallo

Subtly and stealthily, I learned to let the way other people felt about me determine how I felt about myself. Which lead to trying to get other people - especially significant others - to like me so I could like myself.

Can you imagine? Trying to get other people to like and approve of me in order to like and approve of myself!

Well, it made sense at the time. Actually, it never made sense. It just became the game I was playing. The impossible game of trying to feel good about myself while believing it matters desperately what other people think of me!

When I first heard Abraham's guidance to not give a rip what other people think, I was thrilled at the idea but I had no clue where to begin.

I had always liked the aphorism "happiness is an inside job" and decided to figure out what that actually means. I finally - halleluiah! - started looking inside to feel good. There were shaky starts and setbacks, but my True Self continued to call me to feel good from the inside out.

I set intentions, recited affirmations and practiced new beliefs. Most importantly, I made friends with my Inner Being and decided if my Inner Being and I feel good about me, that's enough for me.

Now, with rare exceptions, I celebrate each day that:

I Feel Good from the Inside Out and

I No Longer Need Other People or Circumstances

To Make Me Feel Good!

And that, my friend, is #freedom!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Do-You-Really-Care-What-Other-People-Think-Of-You?&id=9508864

Life Is Not a Competition

Life is not a competition, it never is, it never was, rather it's a beautiful journey. Whom we are competing with and what for? Is it ourselves we are trying to compete with or with other people? We compete when we come across same traits, and then we try to win, to be the best, but what for; to satisfy ourselves or to satisfy other people who want us to win? I tried to dig more by considering two scenarios, i.e., competition with ourselves and with other people.

Competition with ourselves: There is a difference between improvement and competition, but the line between them is so thin, that we often take improvement as competition. How can a same person have two similar traits? For example, if one is good at studies, how can he be good at studies "again"; he just improves his forte. Similarly, if one is good at any sport, lets say soccer, how can he compete himself in the same trait; he just works hard to enhance his skills, to satisfy himself or to satisfy his soul. (there are several other similar examples, try reasoning yourself). Therefore, we don't compete with ourselves, we just keep on upgrading our better version.

Download 25 Most Powerful Motivational Quotes

Compete with other people: Two different people can have a same trait or similar qualification or two or more people can excel the same thing. We, compete with the people having similar traits as ours, to win, to be the best. Has anyone ever heard someone saying that, he want to compete only to lose? We compete, only in an attempt to win, just to show that "I am better than you" and when "I" comes, our ego comes along with it. Sometimes, actually many a time, when we start to lose and in order to win, in order to satisfy and feed our ego, we start imitating other's USP or method and that's where, when we start to lose "our" originality. We forget that by losing our originality, we can win once or twice by chance/luck, but, we can never be a true winner and it's actually a loss. So, what's the point of having a competition if it ruins our originality, or if we cannot be true ourselves or a true winner. If our success or failure doesn't affect or bother us, then we are actually not competing with anyone, we are just practicing with other people to improve, to upgrade a better version and to satisfy ourselves. Anything more than satisfying ourselves or getting peace is worthless and temporary.

Don't try to win because someone wants you to win, as it will be for them and you will never find peace; win by being true self, for yourself without any competition as it will give you eternal peace. Do what you feel like, what makes you happy, what makes you peace with.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Life-Is-Not-a-Competition&id=9548485

True-Self: Does The Fear Of Being Harmed Stop You From Expressing Your True-Self?

If one was to think about a time when they were able to be themselves, they could say that it was possible for them to express their true-self. Whereas as if they were to think about a time in their life when they were unable to be themselves, they could say that this was a time when their false-self appeared.

This would show that although one can be themselves, they can also be someone else. It could be said that the ideal would be for one to have more moments when they are themselves than moments when they are someone else.

One Way

Having said that, there could be people who will disagree with this, and this is because they could say that the ideal would be for one to always be themselves. As a result of this, one won't need to suffer by putting on an act.

Still, while this is going to be seen as the ideal scenario by some people, it doesn't mean that it would be the best way to experience life. What this comes down to is that there will be moments in life when it will be in one's best interests not to reveal what is taking place within them.

Self-Protection

When this happens, it will allow one to take care of their own needs even though this might seem like a contradiction. For example, if one was to feel sad or down about something, they could come across people who are unable to empathize with what they are going through.

In this case, it will be better for one to cover up how they feel and by doing this; they won't be setting themselves up to experience unnecessary problems. Also, one could come into contact with someone who is aggressive and instead of speaking their truth, it could be better for them to walk away.

A Choice

In these cases one will be putting on an act, but this will be an act that they have chosen as opposed to something that just happens. Through behaving in this way, it could be said that this shows that they value themselves.

If, on the other hand, this wasn't the case, it would be normal for one to express how they feel to the wrong people and this would open them up to being invalidated and even abused, and/or to speak their mind when it is not safe for them to do so. Still, this is going to be radically different to what happens when one always experiences life in this way.

One Experience

It then won't matter who they are with, as they will always feel the need to put on an act, and this could be something that just happens. One is then going to feel as though their behaviour is out of their control and this is going to have a negative effect on their well-being.

However, this doesn't mean that one will always act in the same way, as it could all depend on the context. In one moment, one could act shy and as though they don't have much to say, and in the next moment, they could come across as they are there to entertain others, for instance.

True-Self

Through being this way, it is going to be normal for them to overlook their own needs and feelings, amongst other things. They could be completely estranged from what is taking place within them, or they might be aware of these aspects from time to time.

When one is around others, they could be out of touch with how they feel, and then when they are in their own company, this could change. But even if one is aware of what is taking place within them when they are with others, it is not going to make much difference.

Relationships

The people that they spend their time with could believe that their behaviour reflects their true nature. And while this could be because one generally behaves in the same way, it could come down to the fact that they are also playing a role.

As these people are out of touch with their true-self, it stops them from being able to realise that one is also out of touch with who they are. But regardless of whether the people they spend their time with are aware or not, it is naturally going to be a challenge for one to have fulfilling relationships.

Career

This is something that is also likely to have a negative effect on one's career, and this could then mean that one is unable to follow their true path, or that they only get so far in the path they have chosen. If one was to come across people who are doing what they enjoy or who are making progress, they could end up feeling as though they are missing something.

One could believe that although other people have control over their life, this is not something that they have. They could also feel unlucky, or that other people are more fortunate than they are.

Point of Focus

If one was to reflect on what takes place when they are around others, they may find that part of them feels comfortable when they behave how other people want them to behave or how they think they want them to behave. The part of them that feels comfortable is then stronger than the part that doesn't feel comfortable.

So if they were to ignore this part of themselves, it is going to cause them to experience fear anxiety. This then causes them to focus on other people's needs and to neglect their own needs.

Irrational

One way of looking at this would be to say that there is no reason for them to feel this way, as it is unlikely that anything bad is going to happen. Yet although it would be easy to come to this conclusion, it doesn't mean that their life was always this way.

Childhood

During the beginning of their life, they may have been brought up in an environment where it wasn't safe for them to express themselves. If they did something that didn't please their caregivers, they could have been physically abused.

These experiences would then have set them up to disconnect from their true-self and to develop a self that would have allowed them to avoid being harmed. At this age, their primary concern would have been to survive, and this would have taken place by pleasing others.

Awareness

It then won't matter that one is no longer a child, as the trauma they experienced during these years will have stayed within them. Once this has been dealt with, it should allow them to let go of the past and to feel safe enough to be themselves.

This is something that can take place with the assistance of a therapist.

http://ezinearticles.com/?True-Self:-Does-The-Fear-Of-Being-Harmed-Stop-You-From-Expressing-Your-True-Self?&id=9439021

Live A Fulfilled Life, Take A Chance, You Deserve It!

You have the power to break through and live your life to the fullest. It's your choice to take action now. Start with a clean slate, take a chance, make a choice, Why? Because you deserve it.

There are 3 C's in life, Choice, Chance and Change. "You must make a Choice to take a Chance or your life will never Change.

If you want a change in your life you need to choose to just go for something you want, instead of whatever life has given you. Life gave me cancer, not once, but twice. I did not let it stop me from getting what I wanted out of life.

Steve Jobs once said, "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition."

You are destined for greatness, but unless you make a choice to change your life, you're never going to know. I made a change in my life. I went through what is called 'The Champion Project.' I always knew what I wanted out of life, but didn't know how to get there until I found the Champion Movement. It helped me find my true self, my meaning in life, my why.

You need to accept the fact that when you do decide to go for your dreams, there might be failures and naysayers. So you need to step away from the crowd and create your own path in life. There will be failures, but that's just part of the process, just like growing up, only then they called them, growing pains.

The founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, said: "I could accept failing, But I could not accept not trying... and never knowing what if."

If you ever stop going for your dreams, how will you ever know if they would have become real?

All of us want a life that is magical, magnificent and one of fulfillment. But many of us think that a magnificent life is something that happens, as if it is something done to us without us doing anything at all. We think that a life of fulfillment is something reserved only for the lucky ones. We can all have a life full of memorable moments and happiness regardless of our circumstances. You just have to believe it and want it.

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away!"

Understand that when you feel dissatisfaction, that it is really the first step to a better life. It is nature's way of saying that there is something better out there for you, you just need to go out and find it. Without hate, we would not know love. Without tiredness, we would not know what energy felt like. Without Darkness, we would not know how beautiful the sun is. Any champion will tell you that you must experience pain and discomfort along the way in order to achieve a great life. Accept that the pain is here to serve you and start looking at what the first step is you can take to make a change.

One way to feel great about your life, is look for more things to smile about in it. No matter what it is or what happens to you, just smile. You'll be amazed at how much a smile can change your attitude and change the way others look at you.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Live-A-Fulfilled-Life,-Take-A-Chance,-You-Deserve-It!&id=8990294

How to Become Your True Self

What social science tells us about living authentically

When those of us who are single at heart try to explain that to other people, we are sometimes put on the defensive. How can we possibly choose to live single? The whole idea of being single at heart, as I define it, is that for some people, living single is the way they live their best, most authentic, and most meaningful life. But how do you know what way of living is right for you?
The question of how to become your true self and live most authentically is one that pertains to every aspect of our lives, not just our choices about marital status or relationship status or parental status. All of our goals and aspirations, from the biggest and broadest to the smallest and least significant, are part of the calculus of living a good life.
According the "self-concordance theory," the most important thing we can do to become our true self is to pursue the goals that are right for us. If we choose wrong – if we pursue goals that do not reflect who we really are, what we care about, and what we are good at – then even if we achieve those goals, we are not going to feel happy or fulfilled.

In a recent issue of Personality and Social Psychology Review, Kennon Sheldon reviewed the social science research relevant to the question of how we choose goals that best serve our quest to become our true self.  Here's what I see as some of the implications of the research.

When you set a goal or make a plan, how do you feel about it?

1. Do you feel ambivalent about it?
2. Do you find that you just can't get yourself to follow through?
3. Do you disparage your own goals or plans when you are talking to other people?
4. Do you feel pressured by other people to pursue the goals you chose or the plans you made?
5. Do you feel constrained to pursue particular goals (for example, getting a law degree instead of a degree in English literature because you think you will need the better salary that a law degree might bring)?
6. Do you worry that if you do not pursue a particular goal or plan, you will feel guilty?

Or do you feel entirely differently?

1. Do you really enjoy pursuing your goals or plans?
2. Do you identify with what you are doing? Does it seem like what you are doing reflects who you really are?
3. Do you find what you are doing interesting? Meaningful?
4. Is it challenging in a way you appreciate?
5. If you are doing something in some sense because you have to (for example, you are doing your job because it pays), do you sometimes find that it is so engaging that even if you didn't need the money, you might want to do it anyway?
6. Are you more attuned to your own feelings of growth and self-improvement than to other people's evaluations of how you are doing?

If the second set of feelings describes you more accurately than the first set, then you are probably doing a good job of becoming your true self.

What kind of a person are you?
Are you the kind of person who springs into action immediately or do you take time to pay attention to how you are feeling? Sheldon believes that this "trait mindfulness" is important. It is defined as "the general disposition to be attentive to one's feelings, desires, sensations, and emotions – to simply observe one's reactions and emotions rather than being pulled immediately into action or reaction." Research suggests that people who are more mindful in this way are more likely to pursue goals that are consistent with who they really are.
Similarly, people who "follow their gut" rather than trying to be overly rational may also do better at choosing the goals and plans that are right for them.

Are you surrounded by people who make it easy to be your true self?
Self-concordance theory is mostly about you and not about other people. But the people around you can be important in making it easier for you to become your best self rather than standing in your way.
In the workplace, you are doing well if you have a boss who tries to see your perspective, who tries to give you choices, and who provides meaningful rationales for any advice that is offered.
That's true in sports, too. In studies of athletes at all different levels, researchers have found that leadership style matters more at the highest levels: "Having a supportive coach may be especially important for elite-level athletes, so that they can remain in touch with their original motivation to compete."
In our everyday lives, some of us are fortunate enough to have friends or relatives who know us better than we know ourselves, and have our best interests in mind. They might know before we do when we are pursuing a goal that is never going to make us happy. If we are super lucky, they will know how to tell us that in a way we can hear

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/living-single/201411/how-become-your-true-self?tr=MostViewed
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