I’m working on an Authentic Self series filled with creative writing and artwork. My Giving and Receiving post is also part of this series.  Again, I am sharing this with you with no filters. My words are still raw and in their original format. I dare to send these words and my handmade sculpture out to the universe.

My Authentic Self
by Stacey Hoffer Weckstein 

I honor my authentic voice – my authentic self.
I celebrate her glittering life, natural support, and earthy cheer.

I am present. I’m aware. I listen to my voice.
I’m aware of her needs and passions.
I honor her need to shine.

Faceless. Ageless.
In a garden of abundance.
My life balance rocks.
My reflection pond.
My garden of life.

I hear her singing but there are no words.
My authentic voice travels beyond words.
Beyond the earthy language of the world.
Her voice is universal, fluid, open, shining light.

I have found her.

“Don’t worry,” she says,
“if my voice does not appear in your written or verbal words.
For you can’t find me inside of words.
I am there, dancing between the words and soaring with the wind. ”

Ah-ha! My authentic voice is beyond words.
All these years I’ve been looking in the wrong place.

But in this moment she’s here and she’s all mine!

authentic-voice-post.gif 

Original sculpture by Stacey Hoffer Weckstein.

This is your moment!
I created my vision of my authentic voice with household items including aluminum foil, masking tape, paint, glitter, wire, sticks, rocks, hot glue, and glass. What materials would you use to depict your authentic voice?Also, if you build a sculpture of your authentic self using household items, I will post your artwork on the CreateaBalance.com gallery (coming soon)!

Showing 35 comments
  • Creating a sculpture of your authentic self, what a great idea! I like your creative writing too. Looks like you got a lot out of your workshop with SARK 🙂

    Marelisas last blog post..Increase Your Productivity by Learning to Manage Anger

  • @Marelisa – Yes. Sark’s Juicy Pens Thirsty Paper workshop changed my life!

  • oh my……..I am not very artistic but that is amazing!!!!! My favorite line is “I have found her”………

    imagine if we all could find “her” inside of us!!!!

    Annettes last blog post..Cute Bra……CONTEST!!!!

  • @Annette – I know! Honestly, sit down w/ some aluminum foil — you will be amazed by what you find!

  • “I listen to my voice.
    I’m aware of her needs and passions.
    I honor her need to shine.”

    I love these lines.

    Also the art work – wow!

    You are a woman of many faces and talents, Stacey. I like that.

    Vered – MomGrinds last blog post..Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

  • @Vered – Thanks. I’m enjoying exploring different ways to express my authentic voice. Sharing my work with you and all of the CreateaBalance.com community members is very liberating.

  • I love the sculpture of your authentic self!! It is….for the lack of a better word….so Authentic!! Thanks for creating one and posting it!! It just got me thinking about mine!!

    Evelyn Lims last blog post..Can You Read My Mind?

  • Wow Stacey, it must be such a wonderful feeling and journey ….writing this piece and creating this vision of your authentic voice! Thank you for sharing this!

    We all think up our lives too much and construct our words too carefully … it is refreshing to see such flow!

    Mayas last blog post..Born Into Poverty : Blog Action Day 2008

  • What a wonderful sculpture, Stacey! I like your creativity in your writing, and in the sculpture also.

  • @Evelyn – Let me know if you create your own sculpture. I’d love to display it in my upcoming online gallery!

    @Maya – I go to an art studio every week to create my work. Somehow when I am there, the creative juice just flows. I don’t judge my work and I recognize I’m not a trained writer or artist. For me, it’s more about the process of writing and creating.

    @BC – Thanks! I’m enjoying exploring and sharing my written and visual stories.

  • Stacey, what a wonderful gift to give to yourself – time to let your hands be the potter in creating the authentic you, and words to give your heart and soul meaning! You have found her indeed! What an awesome gift!!

    Lances last blog post..Life Balance: A Very Personal Pyramid

  • That is very creative. I have never tried anything like it ever and you have just inspired my to give it a shot. Shall keep you informed

    rummusers last blog post..Is This Good Journalism?

  • Stacey,

    I love that poem! AWESOME. I am going to have to think hard about what I would create my authentic sculpture with. I did an abstract painting of my inner-self once. It had two colors, red and purple. Red for the constant fire/passion that burns within me and the need to always be learning and growing and royal purple for the serenity, love,grace and peace that I feel inside. Some areas of the painting felt like they were at war with each other, some areas blended ans swirled together. I found I understood myself better after creating that. (I am still finishing my Life Balance post. Coming very soon!)

    Wendi Kelly-Life’s Little Inspirationss last blog post..Rainy Days and Mondays

  • M

    A unique way to put it into words you have! Thanks for sharing!

  • Your authentic self is awesome.

    Think I’d make mine of those fuzzy bendable sticks and put myself in some kid of yoga position! Ha. Ha. ha.

    FitMoms last blog post..Fun, flirty and there’s one for you!

  • Oh Stacey the writing and the sculpture are both great!

    “Her voice is universal, fluid, open, shining light.” – she’s beautiful!

    Robins last blog post..Emotional Balance

  • @Lance – It’s a perfect gift…and she was just accepted into an art exhibit. Image that!

    @Rummuser – Please keep me informed. If you create an image, I’d love to display it in my upcoming online gallery!

    @Wendi – Thanks for sharing the description of your inner-self painting. Do you still have the painting?

    @M – Thanks. Here to explore new ways to express, I am…yes. .

    @FitMom – I think that image of your fuzzy yoga self is ingrained in my mind. I love it!

    @Robin – Thank you. I enjoyed creating both pieces of work.

  • How ironic – if there’s one word that’s been popping up nearly daily for me over the past week, it’s been “authentic.” Even more ironic is when I met Jack Canfield yesterday (Chicken Soup for the Soul guy), I thanked him for being “authentic” as I shook his hand.

    I’m glad you found your authentic self. It’s a reminder that who we are is not our jobs, actions, or words. They can be reflections, but it’s not a one to one map.

    J.D. Meiers last blog post..Training Mindset and Trusting Mindset

  • Wow Stacey – that sculpture is fantastic! That is one area of creativity I am exploring – I love dance, music and now stand up comedy, but I am not big into sculpting, drawing, etc. Great inspirational post – I’m thinking of taking a pottery class…going to look up the info now!

    Stacey Shipmans last blog post..The Changing Season: How to Weather the Economic Downturn

  • @J.D. – Hmmm…maybe it’s the law of attraction drawing you towards authenticity! Thanks for sharing your story.

    @Stacey Shipman – As I have mentioned to others, if you create an artistic depiction of your authentic self, I’d love to display it in my upcoming online gallery!

  • Hi Stacey – I love the sculpture you created. That’s quite ingenious. For your writing being “raw” it’s definitely well written. I say,”job well done”. 🙂

  • Hi Stacey, I am SUCH a huge SARK fan as well! I hope to get to one of her workshops and smiled when you said it was life changing. SARK’s books alone changed my life so I can imagine how powerful her words are in person! BEAUTIFUL poem and I love the sculpture!
    “I am present. I’m aware. I listen to my voice.
    I’m aware of her needs and passions.
    I honor her need to shine.”
    These words in particular struck a deep chord! Thank you Stacey!
    Love, Jenny

  • Congratulations on stepping out there and letting your authentic self be known. Feels great, doesn’t it?!

    I’m in the process of doing the same thing and the difference is HUGE!

    Suzanne Bird-Harris | vAssistant Servicess last blog post..Project Powerful and Positive

  • Stacey – that is so cool. I bet you could sell those on ebay, it’s looks so cute. And remember how those pet rocks took off.

  • Beyond question, authenticity is one of the requirements to building the life we all want. Anything and everything that teaches us to be disingenuous is a path to disappointment.

    Clem Gigliotti Jr. – Power On The Webs last blog post..Understanding Ecommerce and Merchant Services

  • @Barbara – Thank you. It’s fun to share my work with others.

    @Jenny – Yeah! I think there is a special connection between SARK fans.

    @ Suzanne – Yes! It feels great!

    @ Cath – Thanks. Hmmm…pet rocks to authentic selves. Watch out world, here I come!

    @Clem – “Authenticity is one of the requirements to building the life we all want” – I agree!

  • Hi, yesterday I had a very personal conversation with a friend of mine. She explained that even though she has lived in several countries, in many cities, has a wonderful daughter and great circle of friends she has felt that she is always searching for something. I simply looked at her and suggested that she is in search of her “authentic self”… When she asked me to explain the chatterbox in me decided this was a time to not to share but rather a time to for her to explore. Today I decided to do a web search and revisit information about “authentic self” & that is how I found this community. Interestingly enough, I learned about an authentic self from Jack Canfield in 2000 and I had found SARK around that same time. Recently, I have really been exploring my authentic self and found myself rereading their work… Interesting to me in that both are mentioned in this blog. This is a community that I will bookmark. Thank you for sharing! If you would like some songs to motivate you check out Jana Stanfield. She is a motivational speaker who uses songs to empower her audience. My favourite songs by her are: “If I Were Brave”, “I;m Not Lost; I am Exploring” and “More Than Enough”.

    Life, Love & Peace, Marta

    Marta van der Meer´s last blog post..Momentum to Change the World

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  • […] With much much lesser stuff around the house, Stacey is ready to now take baby steps to solve the real problem and make it a lifestyle. Stacey is ready to get consumed by action/thought and action/emotion activities. Stacey needs to take about 10 – 15 minutes every couple of hours and do something that makes her “feel good”. Turn on the music and iron a couple of clothes. Put half the laundry away. Wipe a counter clean and shiny. Take joy and notice the little actions of cleaning she is doing. Take her mind away from focusing on a clutter free home to focusing on a clutter free counter, a clutter free table and a clutter free room. Celebrate the clean space by putting just one object there – such as the reflection of her authentic self. […]

  • […] When I started blogging in February of 2008, I knew I wanted to build a platform where I could reach out to women and let them know that the 21st century demands of being everything to everyone does not mean women also need to lose their authentic sense of self. […]

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