Just Who Will You Be?
July 21st, 2008 by 
JD
I love Maria Shriver’s new book, Just Who Will You Be? I read it while on vacation in Las Vegas a few months ago. Sitting poolside I got totally wrapped up in the words. It felt like I was talking with an old friend…someone who has shared similar self-doubt and an inner journey to find the truth.
My favorite passages & personal thoughts on each:
PASSAGE
“Now, what do I mean by “an inside job”? I mean that the only way you can come to feel worthy, and really good about yourself–the only way to find a life of meaning and joy–is to find your own voice, find your own path, follow your own heart, and live your own life, not an imitation of somebody else’s.” (p. 33)
THOUGHTS
This passage is so true for me. I found that no matter how successful I was in my career or how quickly I was climbing the corporate ladder nothing made me feel joyful. I was happy on the outside, but miserable on the inside. Listening to my own inner voice and taking action to live my life is what made all the difference.
PASSAGE
“If you don’t stick your neck out
You’ll be safe, it’s true
But you also won’t find out
Who is the real you” (p. 47)
THOUGHTS
Discovering who you are and stepping into the life you really want is not easy. It is a risk, but in my experience not “sticking your neck out” is even more dangerous.
PASSAGE
“Just who did I want to be? When I reflected on that question, I realized I’d been answering it wrong my whole life. I’d always answered it with my resume. But the true answer, I saw, is about my heart, my values, and my soul. Who I am, not what I am.” (p. 76)
THOUGHTS
Your resume should never define who you are. Sure, it is part of your accomplishments and hopefully something you are proud of. I think of my resume as a tool…a written copy of career accomplishments. But, the unwritten words from my heart are what I use to guide my life.
PASSAGE
What matters most to me now is what I expect of myself. What matters most to me now is that I know myself –what my heart feels, what my inner voice is telling me.” (p. 84)
THOUGHTS
Separating inner dialog can be a challenge. Which words in my head are true and which ones are fabricated out of life experience? (”Ego/Pain Body” - for those of you familiar with A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle).
To help clear things up: 1) I started to identify what I was saying or feeling. 2) I determined if the thought was true or if it was a myth created out of fear or past hurt. For example: When I decided to start my own business one of the first thoughts that ran through my head was, “Be serious, that is not practical at all!” Lucky for me, I quickly identified this as my fear of failure. Separating my fear allowed me to move forward and acknowledge the risk without being paralyzed by it.
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