Are you living the life you want?
Discover your true self
Brian J. Smith
616-520-8400
brian@true-self-discovery.com
Does life bring you joy?
Is your life what you want it to be? Do you have an abundance of energy?
Or do you often feel run down? Do you feel stressed, anxious, depressed, lonely, or bored?
Your answers to these questions are TELLING YOU SOMETHING.
They’re telling you if your needs are being met. This is the source of untold suffering. But most people have been conditioned to ignore their needs. And in most cases, they have the power to do something about it.
The first step is identifying WHAT YOUR NEEDS ARE.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT LIFE? How much time do you spend doing things you WANT to do: things that give you energy?
WHAT DO YOU NOT LOVE ABOUT LIFE? How much time do you spend doing things you HAVE to do: things that drain your energy?
The basic answer to these questions is: The things you do or don’t do in life are based on a set of rules that you’ve learned. These rules are deeply ingrained because they’ve been taught to you from the very beginning of your life and have been reinforced up to the present moment. They are based on expectations and norms that you may have learned from society, family, peers, school, or church. But the tragedy is, these expectations probably don’t serve you. They have shaped you in ways that are probably keeping you from the fullest, most complete version of yourself; keeping you from loving life.
My goal is to help you observe what those expectations and norms have been so that you can make changes and:
LIVE THE LIFE YOU WANT.
This process is often called self discovery. It’s the process of uncovering WHO YOU REALLY ARE. It’s what you may have heard of as your TRUE SELF, your AUTHENTIC SELF, or THE REAL YOU.
My approach comes from the research and findings of Dr. Gabor Mate (The Myth of Normal) and Marshall Rosenberg (Nonviolent Communication). Both use a needs-based model for helping people find healing and wholeness. Dr. Mate says we live in a “toxic culture” that doesn’t meet human needs. Marshall Rosenberg says, “In our culture, most of us have been trained to ignore our wants and to discount our needs.”
Your true self knows its needs and actively pursues them. Your true self is motivated, inspired, uplifted, and energized. Your true self is full of life and wants to spread it to others. Your true self has no choice but to break free of expectations and norms and live a full, abundant, authentic life.
If this resonates with you, let’s explore how I might be able to help. I use a sliding scale and our first conversation is no cost.
LET’S DISCOVER YOUR TRUE SELF.
616-520-8400 or brian@true-self-discovery.com.
It’s no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.
-Jiddu Krishnamurti
About me
Last year, I finished my tenure learning how to graze sheep to regenerate soil. It was an exhausting experiment and while it proved to be restorative to the land, it was not so for my soul. After three years of struggle, I finally realized it was time to change course.
Brian J. Smith
True-self coach
I’ve worked in logistics, education, information systems, sustainable business, and most recently, regenerative farming.
While on the surface it appeared at each stop like I was “successful”, the reality is, I was wearing a mask. And to make matters worse, I didn’t even know it. I THOUGHT I was happy because I was meeting external expectations and norms. I thought I was on the right path because I was “making a difference”.
But all the while, I was ignoring so many indications that things weren’t working. I’ve been anxious and depressed. I’ve been ADHD and addicted. I’ve been lonely and bored.
But despite these symptoms continually trying to get my attention, I never stopped to ask myself if my needs were being met. I never stopped to evaluate what my needs even were. If I’m honest, I never actually believed that I was allowed to even ask these questions.
But I’ve come to realize that I am not only ALLOWED to ask the questions but that I HAVE TO ASK THEM. In fact, asking the questions and seeking the answers is THE ONLY WAY to a full, authentic, inspired life. A life infused with meaning and joy.
The reality is, I’m still seeking these answers, and I don’t claim to have them all figured out. I’m sure I never will. But the process of seeking itself has brought me joy and inspiration, and I expect that will continue. I hope you will join me for part of the journey.
Ask yourself
ARE YOU LIVING THE LIFE YOU WANT?
Are you free and fulfilled?
Let’s explore.
616-520-8400
or
brian@true-self-discovery.com
No cost to start, then sliding scale.
LET’S DISCOVER YOUR TRUE SELF.
With care,
Brian J. Smith