Part 2: Being Bold, Finding Your Groove, & Living Authentically

Last week, I shared the first half of my interview with Danielle LaPorte with you (if you missed it, you can read Part 1 here), today I get to share the last half – the best part in my opinion because she gives us some real, practical, tips on how to be authentic and find our grooves.

Enjoy, and when you are done why not swing by some of the other interviews she’s done, and then rush over to order your own copy of the Fire Starter Sessions!

M – So, do you find that living this authentic, kind of bold life, is that your state of being now or is it something you need to practice? That you have to choose on a regular basis or do you just do that naturally?

D- A Buddhist would tell you that every day is your practice, your practice of meditation, your practice of being present. So, I consider authenticity a practice of mine, and I’ve got to do it everyday. I mean, I’m open and I feel anchored into who I am and I’ve definitely found my groove, but I have to keep doing that. It’s how present am I going to be with the guy who just served me my lunch and the cafe. And how kind can I be when my kid is on my last nerve. And you know, it’s even like, writing an article for my site, it’s like what can I strip away from this so this is more, as genuine and as useful as possible?

So its always, How can I make it more real? any given time of the day.

M- I personally, think that that is what life is about. But, I found that for me it was hard to find that groove, right. And i’m still kind of fitting into it. How did you find yours?

D- Trial and error. Work in progress. Practice. I found my groove by, being out of my groove. I found my groove by, being misunderstood, and the pain of feeling misunderstood. You know, that was hard for me. Especially working jobs, and with bosses, you know, I didn’t feel seen. Those are good tough lessons that made me think, forget it, I’m coming out of the closet with my opinions.
I found it by having role models, or just being clear on who inspired me and wy they inspired me. That’s a great question for anybody: What are you envious of? Even jealousy can teach you so much. Who are your role models? Who do you aspire to be? And the qualities that are compelling to you, you have within you. I mean, if you like the progressiveness of somebody, or their boldness, their elegance, you have that in your DNA. There’s a reason you are compelled by it; I mean, you are what you are attracted to. And me getting clear on what I was attracted to really showed me who I was.

M- I really like that. So we can all aspire to be like you when we grow up?

D – When you grow down maybe, yeah.

M- So, my last question is, if you were to sit down with a group of women who are back where you used to be when you weren’t in your groove yet, what are the three most practical tips you could give them for finding that authentic self or living boldly? So that they could just go, Oh I can do that right now!

D- Three practical tips for your authentic self. Ummm…

Know what you are interested in, and why it interests you and follow that.

Know that, yes, it actually can be easy. Any scripting you have about hard work and paying your dues, really examine that. And know that it’s possible. Even just consider that things cold be graceful. It doesn’t mean that you’re not going to sweat, and work your tail off and have to be 24/7 devoted to that job that you really want. But I think that grace is really the… that’s the sign you’re looking for; that ease means it’s right.

And the third thing is, get a good head shot. Really, all those crapy photos on the personal blogs, you know, you can tell you were at a party or something and you just cut the drink out of your hand. Get a good head shop. Mascara on, suit up and show up. it really matters how you aesthetically show up in the world.

M- I think that even if you didn’t want to launch a business that’s still great, like, have a great picture of yourself.

D- Yeah!

M- To remind yourself, yeah, I don’t always look like the pajama wearing woman all the time.

D- Yeah, it’s a great love yourself, celebrate yourself exercise. And it’s something you might just have it on your fridge, you may have it on your Facebook page, but it’s great to have a lovely photo of yourself. Look your best!

M- So, would you like to take a minute and talk about your Fire Starter Session Product? I’m actually eagerly awaiting having the money to buy it for myself. I’m reading all the Tweets about it going, “Oh, I want that right nooowww.” (Insert whinny voice)

D- Ok, the Fire Starter Sessions is an eBook meets a video seminar. So each chapter is a quote, unquote session in and of itself. And I’m talking about fear and strength and time management and branding and passion and social media (rocking it or not rocking it) and promotion, creativity. I’m just dumping everything I know about Entrepreneurship into one place. And, I think, there’s so many overlaps to just living authentically as well. So, there’s chapters to read most chapters have a video component – so 4-9 minutes of me just jamming – it’s really for anybody who feels they have the entrepreneurial spirit: and that can mean that you’re at home homeschooling, you are an executive, or you’re stuck in a crappy little job that you want to get out of, or you are running a small little empire already. And you can find it at WhiteHotTruth.com.

M- It’s fabulous and I can’t wait to have my own copy to read.

Thank you so much for letting me interview you, and really, for willing to be authentic out in the open. I know you said that you are an introvert so you must be super brave to keep putting yourself out there and letting us examine you and think, gosh, I wish I was like her.

Check Out Her Other Interviews

Danielle on Your Courageous Life
Danielle Talks Money on Sophisticated Woman and Mama
Danielle at Volver
Danielle at Carmen Torbus