
The ARTwork of YOU with Lori Gouhin
Welcome to 'The ARTwork of YOU! I'm your host Lori Gouhin - a serial entrepreneur, certified life coach & mentor, self-taught artist, educator, and a happily married mom to 3 adult daughters.
In this show we dive deep into the elements of creativity, self-awareness, mindset goal strategy, and accountability so that you can realize your dreams. The podcast cuts through the fluff to offer real talk, real stories, and actionable strategies for taking control of your destiny.
It’s time to start showing up in your life as the masterpiece you are, because in essence you are the artwork. So if you are ready to be brave and start designing your life, hit that subscribe button and join us for this empowering journey because this show is for you!
The ARTwork of YOU with Lori Gouhin
Ep 65 Rediscovering Yourself: The Power of Intentional Living
Description:
In this thought-provoking episode, Lori explains what it means to truly understand yourself, unlock your inner potential, and channel it with intention. If you've ever felt like life is pulling you in a thousand directions or that you're just reacting to what’s put in front of you every day, this episode will resonate deeply with you.
Lori shares:
- The concept of pendulums from Reality Transurfing by Vadim Zeland and how external forces like societal expectations, comparison traps, or self-imposed pressures pull us off course.
- Practical strategies to identify and detach from these pendulums without resistance.
- How to reclaim your energy, focus on your vision, and align your actions with your core values.
- The importance of remembering who you are, recognizing where you’ve given away your power, and setting boundaries that honor your goals.
- Building your inner authority by making decisions that reflect your authentic self, even when external pressures try to sway you.
Key Questions to Reflect On:
- Am I putting my energy into creating what I want, or am I feeding distractions that pull me off course?
- Who or what is influencing my decisions, and are these influences aligning with my vision?
- What does living intentionally mean to me?
Thank you for sharing your time with me and remember to show up in your life like the masterpiece you are because YOU are the ARTwork!!!
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Hello, my friends. I am so glad that you are here with me today, because today I want to talk about what it means to truly understand yourself and how to recognize the power and potential that you have so that you can learn how to channel it with intention. And I want to share insights that I've learned throughout my life and talk about how to stay grounded in who you are while shaping the life that you want.
And so if you've ever felt like you've been pulled in a thousand directions, or like life is happening to you instead of through you. I think you will get a lot from this episode. And before I begin, I want to emphasize that you listen through whatever lens feels appropriate to you. Because I know that we are all working on different goals, but what I want to share today really applies to any goal or target that you might be working toward.
And I want to start by first talking about the idea of pendulums. It's a concept that I learned about from the book, Reality Transurfing. I forget the name of the author. I think it's Vadim something that starts with a Z. Anyway, the name of the book is Reality Transurfing and in it, he talks about pendulums as being an external force that will pull us off track and these pendulums can take many forms such as.
societal expectations, the opinions of others, or even the pressure that we place on ourselves to meet certain standards. And when we're not aware of them, we unknowingly feed these forces with our energy, allowing them to grow stronger and steer us away from what we truly want.
So it's extremely important to recognize the pendulums in your own life. They might show up like the voice in your head that tells you that you're not doing good enough, or it could be something like the urge to compare yourself to someone else's highlight reel on social media. These pendulums, they thrive on our attention.
And so it doesn't matter if it's frustration, fear, or even admiration, whatever form they take, the key is to see them for what they are, and that is distractions and not truths. And once you've identified a pendulum, the next step is to stop feeding it your energy. And here's an important distinction.
This does not mean fighting against it because resistance often gives the pendulums more power because your attention is still on them. So instead, the shift happens when you redirect your focus entirely. You choose to put the energy into what you want to create, whether that's in life or in business, rather than what's pulling you off course.
And now I'm not saying that you need to control every aspect of your life because it's more about creating harmony between your inner state and your actions, because when you're aligned with your values, your goals, and your vision, the pull of those external forces begins to weaken, and they no longer have the same grip on you because your energy is moving in a direction that you've consciously chosen.
One of the questions that I often ask myself is, Am I putting my energy into creating what I want or am I feeding the pendulums that pull me off course? It's a simple question, but it can bring incredible clarity because when you pause to ask yourself this, you'll notice how often your energy gets siphoned away by things that truly don't matter.
And in that moment, you have a choice. In addition to asking yourself that question, here's another practice that you can try. Start by identifying the pendulum. Think of an area in your life where you feel drained or stuck. What external force is influencing you? Is it an internalized belief or a comparison trap or possibly a fear of judgment?
And then detach with intention. In other words, acknowledge the pendulum without engaging with it. Imagine it kind of like a wave passing by. You don't need to ride that wave. And then refocus your energy. Decide where you want to direct your focus instead. What action, belief, or intention would move you closer to your vision?
Pendulums will always exist. The power lies in your ability to notice them. Detach and choose where your energy goes. And over time, this practice strengthens your alignment and it helps you to build a life that feels authentically yours. It really all does start with awareness. And I believe that we must wake up from this automatic living that so many of us do.
So much of what we do, our thoughts, our habits, our responses, they happen on autopilot. We go through the motions, reacting to life without questioning whether our actions align with what we actually want. You must become aware of who you are and what you're doing. In each moment, not just on the surface, but with a deeper awareness of your intentions and the bigger picture.
Think about how often you do get caught up in your day to day life. You're answering emails, running errands, dealing with endless to do lists. And before you know it, the day is over and you've moved through it almost automatically. But without feeling any true presence or connected to anything, remembering who you are will interrupt that cycle.
Another important part of understanding yourself is to be able to recognize where you've given away your power and reclaim it. You really do want to have sovereignty over your own mind and spirit. And now. again, I don't mean that you want to become rigid or shut down from others or shut yourself off from others.
It's more about discerning which influences are guiding you toward your vision and which are pulling you further away. Because we often don't realize how much of our energy is spent reacting to external pressures. It might be very subtle, like worrying about how others will perceive you, or something more obvious, like feeling the pressure to follow someone else's blueprint for your success.
And this came up for me during a conversation with a business coach. We were discussing my two businesses and my podcast, and he suggested that I might want to choose one business to focus on because of how challenging it can be to grow two unrelated businesses at the same time. And he's not wrong. And he also had a very different perspective on how to grow my business.
And that was rooted in his own experiences and the methods that worked for him. And I'll be honest, it gave me a lot to think about. I know that his advice came from a place of expertise. And I took it [00:06:40] seriously, but when I sat with it, I realized something very important. I don't want to build my life or my businesses in a way that does not feel aligned with who I am, or even in a way that's considered quote unquote normal.
For me, these two businesses are not just work. They're a representation of who I am and my intention for them is to be My bucket list businesses, for lack of a better word, they represent what I truly want to create in this lifetime. And I want to grow them in a way that feels authentic, even if it takes longer or in a way that is not how others are doing it.
Because the last thing that I want is to achieve success, doing things I don't enjoy doing or building something that doesn't reflect my vision. And that clarity, deciding, To stay true to myself rather than follow someone else's path was a powerful moment of reclaiming my inner authority. But one thing I've learned is that awareness alone is certainly not enough.
It has to be paired with deliberate action. Awareness is the first step, but it's the choices we make from that awareness that truly create change. So when you recognize that you're in a pattern of automatic behavior, choose to act intentionally instead. Because the moment when you stop and ask yourself, am I showing up in this moment as the version of myself I want to be, will invite choice.
You're not just noticing, you're deciding. Deciding how you want to act, respond, or even feel. And it is so powerful because it's deeply personal. Your reasons for remembering yourself will be unique to you. Maybe it is about staying aligned with your goals, or maybe it's about cultivating patience or kindness in a challenging situation.
Or maybe it's simply about reconnecting to your sense of purpose. whatever it is, remembering who you are becomes an anchor, a way to ground yourself in the present while keeping sight of what truly matters. And you don't need to overhaul your routine or set aside hours of meditation to begin this.I think the best thing about it is that it brings freedom because you can choose how you show up.
Your inner authority is the ability to guide yourself from a place of alignment with your values, goals, and vision. It's trusting yourself to make decisions, not because they're easy or guaranteed, but because they reflect who you are and what you stand for. And when you operate from your inner authority, you no longer are swayed by every opinion, trend, or fear that comes your way.
You filter what comes into your life through the lens of, does this align with who I want to be? And if the answer is no, you let it go. So take a moment to reflect on the areas of your life where you feel out of alignment and ask yourself, who or what is influencing my decisions here? And is this influence helping me move closer to my vision or is it holding me back?
This often means setting boundaries. And that starts with being able to say no, not just to others, but also to your old habits or stories that no longer serve you. Every time you say, No to something misaligned. You know, that you create a space for something that is aligned and the stronger your connection to your vision, the less sway those external forces will have over you.
So take a few minutes each day to remind yourself of what you're working toward and why it matters. This can be as simple as writing down one intention in the morning or reflecting on your progress at the end of the day. Your inner authority is built through action. Not just about deciding who you want to be.
It's about showing up as that version of yourself in this small everyday choices. I often think of it as this way. Life will always present you with opportunities to compromise your vision. So whether that's attempting shortcut, pressure to conform or advice from someone who means well, there will be moments when you'll feel pulled off trackAnd your inner authority is what brings you back. It's the voice that says, this is who I am, and this is what I'm creating. When I think about my own journey here, there have been times when I doubted whether I could handle everything on my plate, whether I was cut out for the goals that I had set. But every time I chose to act in alignment with the version of myself I wanted to become, it got a little easier.
The doubts certainly did not disappear overnight, but the actions I took created a new story. One that said, I can do this. When you approach your life this way, you start to see how much power you truly have. Your beliefs and actions are not fixed. They're part of a dynamic process that you can shape. And the more intentional you become, the more aligned your reality will feel.
As we wrap up, I want to remind you, your journey in life isn't about doing things the fastest or the easiest way. It's about doing them your way. Whether that means balancing two bucket list businesses like I am, or redefining success on your own terms, the path you create is yours to design.
And the beauty of intentional living is that it's deeply personal. No one else can define what alignment looks like for you. So as you move forward, I encourage you to reflect on this question, What does living intentionally mean to me? Not what someone else says it should mean, but what feels authentic to you.
And then let that be your guide. Every moment offers an opportunity to step back into alignment, to reconnect with your vision, and to act from a place of clarity, showing up moment by moment as the person you truly want to be. I hope this episode inspires you to approach your day and your life with intention, knowing that you have everything you need to create a life that reflects who you are.