Authenticity

Image Credit - thejc.com

This email arrived in my inbox from Sue Okell of Life Change Secrets.  As I haven't blogged about an inspirational person in a while I thought this was wholly appropriate.  If you would like more information on Sue Okell or Life Change Secrets you can subscribe to her newsletter and keep up to date with lots of interesting information on http://lifechangesecrets.com/

Article:

How authentic are you? How open to experience? How committed to
achieving your dreams? I ask after watching Stacey Solomon on TV.
For those of you who don't know the name, Stacey took part in the X
Factor - a singing contest here in the UK similar to American Idol.

She didn't win - but has since gone on to carve a very nice career
for herself, not on the strength of her singing, though she has a
great voice, but primarily because of her authenticity and
personality.

Stacey is, if we're honest, a bit bonkers! And therein lies her
charm. When I first heard her speak and giggle, I thought, hello,
here's another English eccentric. Yet her talent, enthusiasm,
radiant smile, infectious laughter and big heart have won her
legions of fans.

You can dress her up in all sorts of stage gear, change the set and
the backing singers; place her in the jungle with a group of other
so called celebrities (she took part in 'I'm a Celebrity, Get me
Out of Here') and make her eat creepy crawlies, but she will still
emerge as the same, slightly bonkers but somewhat endearing, Stacey.

She's the girl next door who took her opportunity and ran with it -
and that brings several things to mind.

Firstly if you want something, you have to put yourself out there,
find the opportunity and take action. For three years running
Stacey stood for hours and hours on end in a seemingly endless line
of wannabes just hoping for an audition. She persevered. She
followed her dream.

And when she got that audition, she went all out to win - her
motivation to do so, to build a better life for her son. But she
didn't win.

At this point, she could of course have gone home, beat herself up
and told herself she had blown her big break, wasn't good enough
and never would be, but she didn't. She dusted herself down and
determined to take every opportunity that came her way as a result
of the vast publicity the show generated.

And the thing that made us notice her - her uniqueness - is what
has secured her future career.

Stacey is every day carving new opportunities and grabbing them
with both hands, giggling about her lucky breaks and gleefully
standing as a shining example of self belief, motivation, action,
perseverance and above all, authenticity and openness.

People love authentic people - they can see through charades. So my
reflection this week is about how important it is for us all to
value our own talents and gifts, whatever they may be; to stay true
to ourselves and our values; to be open to experience, however
left-field our opportunities may seem, and to persevere in the
pursuit of our dreams.

Things don't always go to plan, but if we can learn to accept
rather than fight this, stay open and look to the next opportunity,
then we are well placed to build the life we have, as yet, only
dreamed of.

Love and Blessings,

Jean Fisher-Taylor x