There are many things that I am passionate about, but none more than my thirst to please God. Lately this thirst has been deeper than it has ever been. I am not sure if it is the times we live in or just that I am older and more wiser; but I am determined now to do things that way He wants them done.

That has meant letting some people and things go. It has also meant sharing parts of my life that most people would not dare to share with others. Whatever the reason I am in a better place as a result.

As I reconnected with God after trying to hide for so long, I have found that I am more real and authentic. I am no longer afraid to be LaTara – the woman God created me to be. During my quest for a new more refined me, I was given a rather interesting formula that I call the Authentic Formula. At first I did not get it and thought is rather bizarre because it calls for one to accept every part of them before they can truly grow. After time I started to see why.

Let me share the formula with you and explain each part.

Accept. To accept who you are, you have to take every part; the good, the bad and the ugly. The bottom line is that at this point in your life, you are who you are; but that does not mean you have to stay as you are. When Jesus said to “come as you are” I don’t think His expectation was for you to stay in that place. What he meant was that He accepted you where you were because of His unconditional love for you. However, it is also that love that will stir you to make the good better, turn the bad to good, and take the ugly and make it pretty. These things can only be done when you accept who you are. Then and only then will you grow.

Embrace. Now this does not mean that you fall in love with what you have accepted. By no means should you hold on to those parts that need to tweaked or totally overhauled. But if you are going to accept them in order to change, you have to embrace them too.  One of the definitions for “embrace” is “to take in with the eye or the mind”.  So to embrace the good, the bad and the ugly means to take a closer look, meditate on each part of you, and discover why you are in that particular place – be it good, bad or ugly. Once you do this you are ready for the next step in the formula.

Deal with it. OK it is time to leave your comfort zone and step out of the box. This is where you learn to deal with everything you have learned about the good, the bad, and the ugly of you. It is where you take the parts and start doing the work necessary for the change. It is where the tears begin to dry, you stop cussing at yourself so much, and you see the beauty of loving the YOU that God created you to be.

Move On To Liberated Walking. This is a simple part yet very complex partof the process. It is hard to leave behind what may have been the most comfortable place you had ever been. You have stepped out of the box but you may be fearful to make a step. Both feet are planted on the ground and you see the horizon. All that you can do at this point is take it one day at a time. There is not magic pill and, yes, you will be ready to run back to your comfortable place. This is where holding on to God and all that He is placed in you will matter most.

Your life is what you make of it. If your mind thinks the worse, it will get the worse. If it thinks the excellent, it will get the excellent. God does not force your destiny on you, it is for you to accept. Does that mean that you won’t have mess to deal with…NOPE! Does it mean that you won’t get scared and want to run like the wind the other ways…NOPE!. It does means that when your mind is transformed you will deal with it differently and you will not dwell in the ugly of YOU. You will dwell in the beauty of YOU.

Living life using the Authentic Formula is the most rewarding way to live.

I share this formula and more through the Pathways to Authentic Living program for women.  PAL is a unique program especially for women, designed to help them create the map that leads to the core of who they are. It is a great way for women to learn to truly live life inside out. It is a 6 months mind transformation process that will truly help a women to step out onto the path set for them.

If you want to learn the process of the Authentic Formula, join me at Pathways for Authentic Living.

You can find more about the program by listening to this in depth interview I did with Dr Daisy Sutherland of Dr Mommy Chronicles. I have also provided a neat exercise that helps you to take a look at who you are now, who you want to become and how you want others to see you. These are free or charge and you can get them right here if you want.

Interview with Dr. Daisy Sutherland

Who Am I Chart