A Road Trip to Remember

Today was the final day of the final group of the final week of the "Authentic Road Trip." Twelve women who delved deep into their souls with all the courage of warriors on a mission were so determined to figure this whole “authenticity” thing out that they never missed a week, a page or a thought. Morning pages (journals) were written with a vengeance and work books were filled to the brim with feelings and thoughts and, eventually, such clarity that epiphanies flew through the room like fire works on Canada Day.

These women were simultaneously brave and vulnerable as they stepped out of their comfort zones to the point of no return. They now recognize and accept that being oneself does not require perfectionism or strength, but rather, flaws and weakness. Each one of them brought their fears to the table and shared them with people, some whom they had never met, but with whom great friendships were created. They trusted in the safety of the room, and followed their inner guide as it took them on a road trip of the unknown. They are now Authentic Leaders as they are committed to modeling a new way of thinking and, thus, a new way of life.

As they each gave hugs to me and then to one another I couldn’t help but feel like a mother bird pushing them out of the nest one by one. I needed to let that need to protect go, trusting that they had as much faith in themselves as I had in them. Although the 12 weeks are labour intensive and emotionally challenging for them, the most difficult time is now as they move through their daily lives being “tested” at every corner. The question will be asked with every decision they make, “how authentic am I being?” When someone tries to slant their perception of authenticity into theirs, they will know how committed they are to this new way of life by the path they chose. They will figure out how true they can be to themselves while living at ease instead of dis-ease. Some will take it only so far, and then back it up a bit. But most have had the taste and are hungry for more.

It’s all good. We take small steps and are granted large gains with them. Small steps allow us to live with more comfort. Large steps can be daunting and stressful. Moving slowly and with peace provides us with the ability to see and enjoy what is happening. It is a process to be experienced, and not just something to be accomplished like an errand on a to-do list.

My last thought for these very deserving women is to stay “awake”. Enjoy the mystery of your imagination, and listen to how you feel. Remember that your intuition, your inner guide, your soul, your heart and your God are all one in the same as they provide you with messages and clues to who you are and are not meant to be. Following the thoughts of Julia Cameron, “be dutiful to others and die, or be bountiful for yourself and live”.