In previous posts, I have highlighted individuals that I admire for being true to themselves.  Obviously, it is far better to be true to yourself and do what you know is right even when others tell you it is unrealistic and pressure you to give up your dreams, but it can be very difficult to do that.   More and more people are turning to life coaches for help.

What is a life coach?  A life coach is someone who helps you understand yourself better, identify goals, and develop and implement a plan to acheive those goals.  

When you meet with a life coach, he or she will ask questions designed to help you reflect on your life as it is now and determine which aspects of it you would like to change.   The life coach will then help you decide what you need to do to make those changes happen, and support and encourage you as you take the steps necessary to make your dreams a reality.

Have you ever hired a life coach?  Do you know anyone who has?  Would you consider hiring one?  Why or why not?  Please share your thoughts by clicking on the “comments” link below, and if you would like more information on the life coaching services I offer check out my website, www.betruetoyourself.com

In recent posts, I have mentioned my admiration for public figures like Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen because both come across as authentic individuals who are making good use of the talents God has given them. 

Who do you admire most – and why?  Ultimately, for me as a Christian, Jesus Christ is the person I admire most, and his complete faithfulness, to the point of being willing to give his life for me (and for you and everyone else in the world!), is a model I try to imitate, though I know I fall far short and am grateful for God’s forgiveness and mercy.

Please share a little about the person that you admire most – whether the individual is a well-known public figure or a family member or friend of yours.

I have seen Bruce Springsteen in concert multiple times.  During the Magic tour, I flew from Maui to California for the sole purpose of going to his concert.  Luckily he added a second show in Oakland so I got to go twice!  Unfortunately, economic realities will probably prevent me from doing the same thing for the Working on a Dream tour this year.  At least I’ll get to watch his Superbowl half-time show on a big screen TV, but there is just no substitute for seeing Bruce and the E Street Band live.

Why am I such a huge fan of his?  Of course I love his music, but more than that I admire him for following his heart and doing what he loves and is clearly meant to be doing.  Before he was world famous and making big bucks, his parents understandably wanted him to pursue other careers.   He loved music too much to give it up, though, and his persistence paid off. 

When I watch him on stage, it is clear that he is having at least as much fun as his audience is.  He also does not hesitate to speak his mind about U.S. policies he sees as morally reprehensible, even when fans don’t share his views.  He puts his money where his mouth is by donating millions to various charity groups and encouraging fans to bring canned goods and cash to concerts to benefit local food banks. 

For all of these reasons, he strikes me as a man who is being true to himself and making the most of his God-given talents, and inspires me to do the same.

As I watched his inauguration speech, I was struck not only by our new President’s words but also by his tone of voice and demeanor as he spoke them.  Actually, every time he gave a speech throughout the campaign I noticed that not only the content but also his delivery of it seemed so much more authentic than the typical politician’s speech.  I’m sure he is well coached, and has gifted speechwriters, but nonetheless it seems to me that he genuinely believes what he is saying.   

His books have also impressed me.  Raw honesty – especially about his family background and his personal use of illegal drugs when he was younger – is quite rare among politicians.  Open acknowledgment that our country faces some complex problems and that he does not have all of the answers is also a refreshing change from the usual quick fixes we are promised.

His presidency has just begun, and ultimately his actions will speak louder than his words.  Based on his words up to this point, though, I am confident that he will help us get our country headed in the right direction, and will act based on what he truly believes is best for our nation and the world rather than what is politically expedient or popular at the time.

I won’t normally post every day but since my pastor preached a sermon this morning about being true to yourself I wanted to share it with you while it is fresh in my mind.  He talked about the fact that when Jesus says “Follow me” it is often understood to mean strive to be exactly like Jesus when the reality is that we are each unique people with our own unique talents.  Obviously there are standards of behavior we all need to uphold and Jesus is the ultimate role model of one who is totally faithful, to the point of giving his life.  We are called to love others as he loves us.  However, if we were all clones of Jesus, with the exact same thoughts and behaviors, the world would be a very boring place.  God gave us each specific gifts and made us distinct individuals for a reason.  Rather than asking “What would Jesus do?” we should ask “What does God want me to do?”  In a broad, general sense the answers to both questions may be the same – love people unconditionally, forgive, help those in need, tell them about God’s love, etc. – but the specific ways in which we do each of those things will vary.  Jesus’ first disciples, handpicked by him, had different strengths (and weaknesses!),  personalities, communication styles, and ways of making decisions, just as we do.  The Bible says clearly that there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit, varieties of services, but the same Lord, and varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone, and they are all manifestations of the Spirit for the common good. (See First Corinthians Chapter 12)