Be Authentic... Follow your Heart

Sally Forrest 

BSc, MRPharmS, MBA
Managing Director
SoulCentre Academy.
www.soulcentre.org

We are all born with pure potential, and a promise of being able to be the best we can be.

This promise is the reason we took birth, yet as we grow we move further away from this promise and actually forget what it is.

Imagine that the day you are born, you came with a bright white, clean, blank piece of paper; there is nothing written upon it .You have to write what you wish to be and what you want to become is totally up to you and is possible!

However once we are born, others begin to write on this piece of paper. They 

are people who have your best interests at heart – like our parents, teachers, leaders of communities etc.…
They write things from their viewpoint, what they feel is right for you

Things like ;
“Sally should be a lawyer when she grows up”
“Sally should get married and have children “
“Sally should play the piano, as I always wanted to do that as a child”
“Sally must get good grades in school and go to University”
“Sally should always put others needs before her own “

The list goes on and the expectations that others impose upon us continue throughout life. Eventually we lose sight of our natural gift and begin to live a life of continuous futile attempts trying to fulfill other people’s hopes, dreams and expectations.
How others see the world is not how we see the world, we see the world from our own conditioning and experiences.
How can the generations before us even begin to comprehend the unlimited opportunities of the future generations?
Take something as obvious as technology …… it is the youth who are creating the technology of the future …not the previous generation.

Soon we begin to lose sight of the promise we are born with and the natural passion we have for life.

At this moment – STOP and ask yourself the following questions…
Am I happy with life at this moment?
Am I passionate each day as I wake up?
Do I rise each morning excited to start a new day – or full of dread and moans?
Are you in a relationship that fulfills you emotionally and physically?
If life is great then congratulations! Continue doing what you are doing and enjoy!
However if you are not happy with some aspect of life, first identify what that aspect is and then decide to change.
The secret is to become authentic!
Live a life where you bring out the best from inside you and be what you want to be. Find that special gift that you were born with and follow your heart. Forget about trying to fulfill the expectations of others – they have their own life to live and in which to fulfill themselves.

As you walk in this direction you will naturally manifest Happiness and Passion for life.
Top Tips to become Authentic 

• Know yourself and what you want from life
• Know what makes you happy and keeps you passionate
• Stop doing anything that depletes you or makes you negative
• Stop living to make others happy –start by making small changes ,e.g. do not accept invitations to activities or events that you do not want to go to .
• Take time out for “me” – connect again with nature and feel balance and harmony in life
• Do new things! Especially those things you have always wanted to do 
• Loosen up- be child like and stop fitting in!
• Do not simply watch each day pass you by – take action and participate fully in life!
• Live today as if it was your last day on earth …you never know it may really be so……

The Universe does not make mistakes, you came here for a reason and you are full of special talents. You owe it to yourself and to the world to be Authentic.

Having walked the path it is clear that those who have courage can give courage to others ,just as the flame of the candle can light up another…I urge you to take a step towards your authentic self….one step leads to another and you will soon discover your passion and purpose in life!

You are born an Original. So bring that gift to the world …do not die a copy!

A SoulKids Mentor in training at SoulCentre Academy: Interview with Catelijne Botterweck

Tell us a little about yourself…

My name is Catelijne Botterweck, 33 years old and mother of 3 young kids. I gave up my career (temporarily) when we moved from Holland to Singapore in February 2009, and after the first year of enjoying the life of an expat wife, I felt the need to do something that really would give me fulfillment. I also realized that this period of my life could be much more meaningful if I would take more opportunities to personally grow, to get out of my comfort zone and do other and new things. Then my eye fell on SoulCentre and SoulKids Mentor training. Something triggered me, and the free talk was so inspiring that I just knew I had to go for it.


What do you like about SoulKids Mentor Training?

The SoulKids Mentor training is very inspiring. You learn more about yourself, about life, about relationships, about the role of a parent and much more. It gives you so many valuable life lessons. Positive thinking, taking your life in your own hands, becoming successful, being happy, really doing something with your life….in the end it’s all about how the mind works. I like every aspect of the training and as a bonus I got to know great new people. I can’t wait to work with kids or teenagers and helping them grow by learning all these life skills.

How has the training influenced you?

The SoulKids Mentor training influenced me first and foremost in making me think about my life and my goals. It made me realize that I have to live my life to the fullest and that whatever I’ll be is up to me! Of course, part of this life mission is to help my kids grow up to become healthy, happy and beloved people. But apart from that, I am still Catelijne with my own life goals. I was searching for personal growth, and I definitely found it with this training. Who would have thought a year ago that I would be on stage singing and dancing, writing articles, and studying again!

What has been the most inspiring lesson so far?

I must say that there are so many inspiring lessons in this training. There are many stories and they all have their own valuable lessons. What stays on the top of my mind is that the only reason that you are where you are right now, is you. Everything in your life has sprouted from your own mind. No one can keep you small, but yourself. No one can stop you from reaching your goal, but yourself. This really was my ‘kick in the butt’ to start taking action!

How do you think the children will benefit from SoulKids?

I think every child will benefit from the SoulKids training. I wish I knew all this wisdom when I was young. Then, I maybe would have made other decisions in what courses to take in high school, which study to choose, what type of job to take or what hobby’s to put more time in. In the SoulKids program, kids learn how to become successful and happy, how to make friends, to cooperate, to think positive about yourself and others. They understand where fears come from, how to overcome them, but above all; they learn that they are free to be whatever they want to be, and that they can reach their goals with the right mindset.

There are so many people in the world being bored or unhappy with their life. They don’t know how to change it, and just take their life for granted. Why chose for mediocrity if you can have excellence? Why choose to be unhappy if you also can choose to be happy?

Why not start now and give your kids the right example? SoulKids is the way!