Sue Allsworth, Founder of Authentic Smile, takes us on a written journey of self-care that results in the true revealing of ourselves and our authentic smile.
What significance does writing (journaling) have and is it more powerful than the spoken word?
Both have the same value but are both different. The way we think and the way we write are two very different things. When we think, we rethink the same thing over and over again, in a loop format. If I ask you to write down a hundred times “I don’t like myself” (which is what your mind has just done) you are going to question your actions and realize just how silly it is.
The written word and journaling allows us to break our thought patterns. We have habits with our thoughts that go on a loop, and we are often not too attached to our thoughts. Journaling was one of the biggest tools I used at the beginning of my journey to break down my thoughts. I was able to become more mindful and conscious of what the thoughts were and the sometimes negativity attached to them. I was able to build and strengthen my foundations from here.
The spoken word is powerful, albeit not necessarily truthful. Journaling helps understand what it is that I need to deserve and how to maintain my authentic smile. I use journaling in many ways now. Journaling is great for ‘dumping’ – ‘diary diarrhea’ – I put pen to paper and I don’t think about anything in particular. It starts flowing. It needs to be acknowledged and honored for me to be able to deal with the information and move on. Journaling brings a lot to light in a mindful and conscious way.
Is the core function of Authentic Smile to regain confidence?
The core function of what I do at Authentic Smile is to give people the tools for building and maintaining their foundations. Along my journey, my smile has always been present, but not necessarily authentic. Consolidating my foundations was key to being able to maintain my authentic smile even through emotional or traumatic times. This is what I strive to teach people, and to provide them with the necessary tools to do so.
I work a lot with people about the true understanding of terms such as acceptance and forgiveness. If we can understand the process, the logic and the theory behind these words, our foundations will be left intact and we will retain our authentic smile even in times of hardship and pain.
How would you define exactly what our authentic smile is?
It is giving you the building blocks for your foundations – acceptance, forgiveness, gratitude, deservability… and if you have these then you can move naturally to trust, faith and surrender.
To get to this place you have to be authentic with who you are. It is a forever journey but if the foundations are right (whatever they need be for each individual), the journey will be smooth.
Which tools and techniques do you use to enlighten your clients, or is there no set menu?
I am very much guided by the individual. It is all about using the right techniques for each person which will enable them to look within and find the answers. All the answers we need are within, it is a matter of finding the right tools to tap into them. Mirror work, meditation, journaling are all part of the tools that I use in my authentic way to work with my clients.
Are the mind, the body and the soul ONE?
They are all part of one but they are individual and unique aspects of the one. They are one of the same thing. We are all gravitated to one more than the other but to function coherently together, they all need to be authentic.
Can you describe how your ‘spirituality’ has grown over the last few decades and how this can impact one’s authentic smile?
At the core of my journey, I was trying to find out what and where my faith was. I realized that without a faith that I felt comfortable with and had chosen myself, everything becomes confusing. I have been through all sorts of different avenues and philosophies in my life, some of which semi aligned with my beliefs and others to which I felt no affiliation.
Seeing and feeling my faith was what was important to me. I realized that one of the biggest questions I had to let go of was what really happens once we die. Life became easier when I was able to let go of this and the notion of God in a religious sense of the term. God came to mean entity, universe and energy! This helped me let go.
My spirituality is forever evolving – it is fluid. It grows with how I need it to, but the core of my belief is solid.
How does one proceed with the journal journeys?
There are many ways of doing so. One can buy the journals online and do them at your own pace. The majority of the books and cards take you on a different journey, and they are for working on at home. The cards are good for prompts. All of the products encourage you to start a dialogue with either yourself or your emotions.
The journal journey with creativity workbook, is the biggest and blankest of them all, and I much prefer to do this one on one with a client. Important to remember: If you’re not feeling it, step away from the book.
If a person chooses to do the journal journey directly with me, it is definitely more than just journaling. It is a journey.
What other modalities do you offer your clients?
I use a lot of mediation – journal questing. I use the cards, mirror work, power truths, chakra dancing and movement. Sometimes I use techniques that I had never thought of but they seem totally fitting at that particular time with that particular person.
I have my own tool box, and sometimes one thing is more appropriate than another. It is tuning in, letting go of my needs, and tuning in to what tools I can offer to help others tap into their authenticity and start to connect with their authentic smile and know what it is they have to maintain.
