Aspire Magazine: Inspiration for a Woman's Soul.(TM) DEC 2016 / JAN 2017 Aspire Mag Full Issue A Miracl | Page 40

5Authentically Signs You’re Ready to March to Your Own Drum and Live BY FELICIA BAUCOM I f you’re anything like me, you’ve always felt pressured to fit-in. I always had a vision of what I wanted my life to look like, but all too often there was a mismatch between my vision and reality and other people’s expectations. I spent much of my life pleasing everyone, but somehow my authentic self eventually found its way out, and I’d leave a job and fly to France or leave a relationship without looking back. Then the dust settled and I’d put the genie back in the bottle and try to be “normal” again. And there the genie remained, until the next time I felt stifled and limited. Eventually I decided I had a few too many of these moments and realized it was no way to live. I chose to live my life from a place of authenticity instead of waiting until I hit yet another stifling threshold. 40 www.AspireMAG.net | December 2016 / January 2017