Ever get the sense that you’re not living the life you’re really here to live? Well today we’re super excited to share with you a guest post by our friend, Joshua Barad. Josh, a member of Sensophy’s Inner Circle and a former coaching client, heard that niggling voice too, and after putting up with the stomach knots and sinking feeling for a while, he decided to try something new with his life.

Check out his story (+ don’t forget to let us know what authentic expression would look like *for you* in the comments below!).

Yooooo! How are you doing? I’m currently sipping on a swanky pot of ginger tea that cost a hefty $15000 KIP ($2 USD), while enjoying some amazing scenery from a tea shop in Luang Prabang, Laos.

So what’s on the agenda for this post? I’m glad you asked! I stumbled across an email last week from Mr. Sensophy himself, Jacob Sokol, with a request that blew my freakin’ head off:

“Josh, care to share your story/wisdom with other Sensophizers?”

Ummmmm…. my response? Yipeeeeee, YES!

But as I began to fire up Word on my iPad, a paralyzing feeling entered my entire body. I managed to type just three words within the first 30 minutes, attempting to create the “perfect” intro for a subject that I had yet to figure out. Then, suddenly, it hit me. WTF, Josh?!? Authenticity, dude!

This post isn’t about managing impressions, nor am I attempting to write what I believe anybody wants to read. Instead, I’m here to share with all who decide to explore the depths of my story. It’s a concept about which I consistently remind myself on a day-to-day basis. In fact, this idea has been reinforced from day one of meeting Jacob at Bryant Park. It’s an overarching theme which I have relentlessly beaten with quite a few bamboo sticks along my journey through Asia:

Communication From The Core –> Authentic Expression

Just over 28 months ago, I decided that I’d had enough of the stress-ridden knots in my stomach and a life of mediocrity. I decided to give up what others would have deemed a successful career path at the largest bank in the world for one of my own. For me, this was playing poker professionally.

Luckily I have very understanding parents, but either way, I was going to do whatever it took to make this happen. After hundreds of hours of introspection, enough self-help books to fill up a closet, and a bit of Sensophy goodness, I began to understand why I was so damn miserable: I was completely out of alignment with the CORE of my being!

How could I SHOW UP authentically if my values were being compromised? It was a probable, soul-sucking defeat. Through coaching, I soon realized the importance of identifying some personal core values. It told the story of why working in a 6×8′ cubicle in front of dual monitors while spitting out Macros & Excel graphs wasn’t fist-pumpin’ exciting for me.

  • I didn’t have a chance to do what I wanted, when I wanted (Autonomy)
  • I didn’t feel highly courageous (Courage)
  • I was eating crap and barely exercising because of the long hours (Energy)
  • It was very difficult to stay mindfully balanced around negative influences (Equanimity)
  • I never felt like I was contributing to the world (Service)

Ultimately, what I was doing for a living felt very INAUTHENTIC!

So over the past two+ years I’ve been working patiently, persistently, and diligently to figure out the answer to this million dollar question: WTF am I doing with my life?

After pulling out a few hairs (mostly gray) along the way, I think I may have found the answer. I’m prepared to share this nugget of gold with each of you, as long as you promise to wholeheartedly follow it. That’s right; I’m going all communist on ya! Ready for it? Are you sure you can handle it?

Here it is……

Live each moment of your life as AUTHENTICALLY as you possibly can. Stop managing impressions, but rather EXPRESS from your soul.

First though, we have to self-reflect a bit. Take some time to write down what’s REALLY, REALLY, REALLY important to you. Magnet it to your fridge. Add it to your Facebook profile or tape it to your forehead. Whatever it takes, do it! If we follow what’s important to us (our values), then our days will be filled with wayyyyy more fist-pumps (I just did one!) as we kick our ego out the door.

The pressure-packed question of “WTF am I doing with my life?” will then be transformed into, “Am I living in alignment with my values?”

I worked my ass off over the past year in order to step away from the tables and travel (Autonomy) on my own schedule. Shit-scared out of my mind, I booked a flight to Phuket, Thailand (Courage).

After a few too many days of clinging onto ‘comfortable’ while hanging with friends in Phuket, I made my way to one of the poorest countries in the world, Cambodia. Although traveling has given me an excuse to eat like shit, I’ve been able to keep my immunity on point with a plethora of vitamins and plenty of walking (Energy). I just finished a 10-day Vipassana Meditation Retreat in Chiang Mai (North Thailand) which opened me up to the ideas of mindfulness and balance throughout our lives (Equanimity). Having the opportunity to give back (Service) in less fortunate countries may have been the most meaningful. While traveling through Laos, I was able to spend time reading to local children and sharing stories.

I’ve only begun to scratch the surface of what’s possible thanks to the personal understanding that life isn’t just about paper-chasin’ consumerism. Each day becomes a chance to gain new perspectives and delve into who we are. Embrace the fact that nobody can be as authentic as YOU and reinforce your values by inspiring the world in (your own) kick-ass way!

Joshua Barad, from sunny South Florida, is a travel-addicted nutritional junkie by day and pro poker player by night. In mid-2011, he side-kicked corporate purgatory in the face to pursue a path that resonates with his soul: Connecting authentically & making a DAMN difference, one relationship at a time!

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