What does it mean to “Get Real”?

Do you know how at times, you immediately feel when something is right for you? When my Business Manager Miroki Tong suggested Get Real as my podcast's title, I right away knew that this was the perfect name. It captures what I am passionate about, showing pathways and possibilities on how to live with purpose and authenticity.

Do you have a sense of what it means to be the real you? To express yourself with unbridled authenticity? To pursue your passions and walk to the beat of your drum?

What does "get real" mean? Many of us don't dare to show who we really are. Even if we were to ignore the COVID-pandemic and other global challenges we're confronted with, modern-day life has become increasingly stressful. As we try to keep up with our fast-paced, fully packed, and externally focused lives, chronic stress, anxiety, and overwhelm become our emotional setpoint. Instead of calmly and confidently choosing how to navigate through life, we either go through the motions on auto-pilot or anxiously react in self-protective ways to the problems we are facing. We no longer slow down to listen to our thoughts, to face our emotions, or to ask deep questions such as "What do I really want?" "What is my purpose?" or "What is the meaning of life?" As a result, we feel increasingly ungrounded, powerless and disconnected from ourselves, which further triggers stress and anxiety.

So how can we break through this vicious cycle and get back in touch with who we are? One of the first things we can do is stop lying to ourselves - and the world around us. We are telling ourselves lies when we pretend that we are powerless, and that we can't change because we have tried so many times and never succeeded. We are born with sheer unlimited potential to grow, adapt and thrive. Just the fact that we learned how to crawl and then to walk, figured out how to use our mouths and vocal cords to form words others can understand, and developed skills to relate to the world around us proves that we are innately powerful. Sometimes, we just need to get out of our way and search for the inner resources to create the change we want in our lives.

We are lying to ourselves when say that we are the victims of our circumstances. Whether we get angry at somebody who cuts us off in traffic, find ourselves defeated by a demanding boss, scared about our finances or feel guilty that, once again, we didn't stick to our diet, it is easy to feel powerless in situations that seem out of our control. However, ultimately we have the power to choose how we want to think, feel and act in any given situation - and how much of our power and energy we want to give to whatever circumstances we are in.

We are lying to ourselves when we berate ourselves as not good enough, fat, stupid, ugly and unlovable. How often have we blasted ourselves with derogatory insults that we would never dare fling at anyone else because our words would hurt them, and they'd cut us out of their lives, or even punch us? And how often have we shown respect and consideration to others and treated ourselves with contempt and disregard? Just as we wouldn't dare to bash others, it is unacceptable to insult and shame ourselves.

And finally, we are lying to ourselves when we pretend that we need to fight and compete to have the life we want. Life is so much more than an endless race for an imaginary prize without a finish line. Life is about discovering, expressing, and sharing our authentic selves with its multitude of gifts, treasures, and talents with the world. To be a source of love, kindness, and compassion in the world so that those who feel lost and lonely realize that they belong and that they matter. And to shine our light as a beacon of hope and inspiration so that others will feel encouraged to live with unbridled authenticity.

My intention for Get Real is to provide you with the insights and tools that can help you to get back in touch with yourself and your purpose. Please join me this Thursday at 12PM Eastern Time - and feel free to post your questions and thoughts in the comments section.