Welcome to Ipek and Tara's Threads of Light,
A talk series that illuminates the path to a brighter and more meaningful life.
Join us as we set sail on a journey of self-discovery,
Transformation,
And shared wisdom.
I am so happy to be back to the Threads of Light as our journey of self-discovery continues.
Today Tara and I are excited about exploring the topic of becoming the best version of ourselves.
This topic came up during our previous Illuminating Your Path to Purpose conversation.
So if you didn't listen to it,
Please go ahead and do that,
Maybe even before listening to this one.
Before we share our thoughts about this grand concept,
Let me quote Oprah Winfrey and see if her words might be inspiring in bringing up thoughts and ideas for you,
Our listeners.
And for us,
Tara.
So Oprah Winfrey says,
The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.
It's not about becoming someone other than yourself,
But rather becoming the best version of yourself.
This quote tells me that our life's greatest adventure is not a journey of becoming someone entirely new,
But rather embracing the transformative path of becoming the best version of ourselves.
Now let's delve into this profound idea,
My dear Tara,
Shall we?
Because I would love to hear your thoughts about the search for our highest potential.
Thank you,
Ipek.
Becoming the best version of ourselves is a grand concept.
It represents our evolution based on the experiences we have in our life,
And what we ultimately learn from the experience to grow and acquire wisdom.
I think becoming my best version comes from some intentional reflection I've done about a circumstance or situation,
Whether it has been in the past,
The present,
Or the future.
And when thinking about the past,
I've considered the situation and the feelings I've had about it,
Or perhaps what needs were being met,
And,
Or not being met,
And accepting the emotions that have come up,
Thinking about the situation,
And reframing it to ask,
What can be learned from this?
And giving myself permission to feel has helped me tend to myself with gentle self-compassion in this reflection process.
And doing this in the present moment is probably the most powerful opportunity to foster appreciation for what we can be grateful for.
And at this time in my life,
I'm experiencing a much greater connection with nature and observing more using my six senses,
Including intuition.
And this has brought me joy because I feel like it's an awakening to what's always been available to me,
But due to my priorities and focus where I was channeling attention,
I wasn't able to notice or enjoy the here and now as much as I am today.
So paying attention to how I feel has become an important tool that has helped me learn what brings me joy,
And also seeing it reflected in others on the receiving end or part of the experience with me.
As I become aware of my thoughts and where they're focused with an intention to be present,
Reflecting on how I want to live and what represents becoming the best version of myself can be expressed in the present and the future.
So my character and decisions align with my current values and influence what's important to me.
I do trust that my true purpose reveals itself with each intentional choice I make.
As we continue talking about purpose and how it can take on new shape at different times in our evolution,
It can be understood with this new perspective on what matters most to us and translates into meaning with shifts in our priorities.
My values are an important force behind the choices I make in all circumstances.
And as I evolve into the best version of myself,
Freedom,
Curiosity,
Quality of life,
And kindness are rising to the top of my priorities.
And with that,
Let's reflect together on what our personal values are and how they have shifted in our stages in life.
And maybe ask ourselves,
What may have caused these changes?
Ipek,
I'd really like to hear your thoughts on this.
Well,
Before getting to my thoughts,
I loved what you said.
You said,
I do trust that my true purpose reveals itself with each intentional choice I make.
This is something to make a note of,
Tara.
I really loved this quote from you.
Thank you.
In my opinion,
Becoming the best version of ourselves is like a journey to really know who we are.
It's not just about changing on the outside.
It's about figuring out what makes us us.
When I think about my own journey,
I see it like peeling an onion.
Every layer shows a bit more about me.
It's not always a straight line.
And sometimes we go back to things we've learned before.
Becoming our best selves is about accepting all of us as we are,
The good,
The bad,
And the ugly.
This journey is not about reaching a finish line.
It's like a painting that's never quite done.
It's okay to have parts that aren't perfect.
As we think about ourselves growing,
Why don't we choose not to be sad about the parts we haven't figured out yet?
Let's see them as chances to get better,
Places where we can add more color to the picture of who we are.
Because life is full of opposites,
Like good and not-so-good things,
People,
Events,
Circumstances.
And becoming our best selves is about finding the right balance between them.
It's sometimes like dancing to a song with different beats.
So balancing these opposites doesn't mean we're confused.
It means we are celebrating how unique and interesting we are.
It's about embracing ourselves as we are and accepting that we are learning,
Growing,
Evolving.
Tara,
You talked about thinking on purpose,
And I agree.
Becoming the best version happens when we really think about what we are doing and,
More importantly,
Why.
I also loved what you said about intentions.
In my life,
Setting intentions has been like having a guide.
It's not about strict goals,
But about putting good energy into what we do.
When what we do matches why we are doing it,
It's like taking important steps toward being our best selves.
It's okay to have parts that aren't perfect.
As we think about ourselves growing,
Let's not be sad about the parts we haven't figured out yet.
Let's see them as chances to get better,
Places where we can add more color to who we are.
So challenges,
The tough times,
Are actually a big part of becoming the best version.
They are like the hard parts of a game that help us get better.
In tough times,
I found comfort in something Rumi said.
He said,
The wound is the place where the light enters you.
Becoming our best selves means accepting hard times and letting them help us grow stronger and wiser.
So to sum it up,
Becoming the best version is like going on a trip to understand ourselves,
Finding the right balance,
Thinking about what we do,
Learning from tough times,
And accepting that we are not finished yet,
But we are well on our way to be a better human being and that the journey never ends because there is always room to grow further.
What do you say,
Tara?
How would you like to conclude our conversation today?
Well,
Thank you,
Ipek.
The quote from Rumi is very profound.
The wound is the place where the light enters you and becoming our best selves means accepting hard times and letting them help us grow stronger and wiser.
So certainly we are on a journey to understand ourselves and we all have so much potential for a bright future.
So let's conclude today with a positive affirmation to inspire the best version of ourselves.
Here's the affirmation.
My inner voice tells me the truths I need to guide my choices in the perfect direction,
Uniting me with the rhythm and flow of life.
Thank you for listening.
We hope you found this episode insightful.
If so,
Please share it with others.
Until we reunite under the cosmic embrace of our next episode,
May your days be filled with the brilliance of your unique light.
Take each step with purpose and let the threads of light guide you.
