After decades of interviewing gurus for her multimedia publishing company Sounds True, Tami Simon has picked up the mic to share some insights of her own. Her new audiobook, Being True: What Matters Most in Work, Life & Love, brims with 30 years of wisdom gleaned both from spiritual leaders and her own personal journey inward.
At Emerging Women’s Power Night Boulder, Tami let us in on the “5 Principles of Being True” she outlines in her book. We were captivated by her grace, humor and wit, and transfixed by her fresh perspective on living the truth of who you are. Read on to see why…
1. Recognize that each of us has never been here before
We are all unprecedented, and it’s important to acknowledge that. Referring to us all as “exploding mysteries,” Tami says it’s crucial to realize that no one can actually tell you how to be true. This means a lot coming from someone who’s questioned all the major players in the spiritual wisdom game. No one has the unique formula for your truth except you.
2. Spend time in a place where there are no reference points
We love this about Tami Simon. If you’ve listened to her Grace & Fire podcast, you know that Tami believes in The Mystery, and encourages us to spend time there. “Stop avoiding the void,” she says, and hang out in a space where there are no thoughts or images to rest upon. Why? Because it allows for unique transmissions that will leave you saying “Who the heck knew that?” Give the universe a chance to speak to you to find answers no guru can give.
3. Find directionality through natural inspiration
Tami is quick to point out that the inspirations you receive are often not glamorous, but a “Who knows?” attitude will give the phenomenal world a chance to play its hand. If you want to discover your Sacred Function, the universe is available to guide you towards it, as long as you’re willing to hang out in the unknown and be breathed by it.
4. Be brave and follow what’s needed
Choose “The Path of No Embarrassment.” We do not have to be embarrassed about who we are or whatever conditions we might find ourselves in. If acting on transmissions from the Mystery causes some awkward moments, at least we brought forth our love as best as we knew how. “That’s good!” says Tami, which brings us to…
5. Believe in your basic goodness
Pure goodness, Tami says, is bringing forth our gifts in service to others. You’ve got to believe that no matter what, your heart is filled with goodness. When you focus on that, you are filled with an unconditional confidence in goodness, and can act on your inspirations knowing they come from love.
Tami closed the brilliant Power Night evening with a blessing that reflected these 5 Principles of Being True up perfectly, and we’d like to share it with you here:
“May our Sacred Functions come wildly alive. May you touch gazillions of people. May you shine your light without embarrassment.”
To get in on more high-caliber inspiration like this, join us at Emerging Women Live 2017, featuring Elizabeth Gilbert, Esther Perel, Dominique Christina, Sera Beak, and more, October 5-8 in Denver, CO.
Promise Phelon gets real the second she steps on stage.
To say that 
Now she rocks the crowd in the name of social change as the founder of 
Jennifer Louden is both a personal coach and social commentator, who has taken the concept of “comfort” and self-care, and made these essential concepts irresistible and essential to women around the world. Jennifer is a cultural visionary, harnessing her extraordinary ability to recognize women’s comfort as both a fundamental need and an innate desire. Jennifer is an established media favorite, known for her humor, honesty, and ability to deliver tangible tips and heart-expanding insight with grace and passion. As a best-selling author of The Woman’s Comfort Book and 5 other titles, she draws on a wealth of stories and experience to regularly enliven blogs, radio, TV & magazines like Woman First, Self, Woman’s Day, Health, Yoga Journal, Whole Living, Good Housekeeping, Shape, and Ladies Home Journal. Jennifer’s media appearances have included Oprah, MSNBC, CNN, and close to a hundred news shows in most major markets. She’s hosted her own radio show on Sirius, been a monthly columnist for Body+Soul (now Whole Living), enjoyed numerous satellite radio and TV media tours, and has been a major presence on the web since 2000. She is a leading spokeswoman for finding your center and creating a healthy life in the midst of the busiest life, and then extending that healthy living to your world through social change. She believes: Self love+world love = wholeness for all. 
Shasta Nelson, a female friendship expert, is the Founder and C.E.O. of GirlFriendCircles.com–the female friendship matching site in 35 cities across the U.S. and Canada where women of all ages go to make local friends, and is the author of Friendships Don’t Just Happen! The Guide to Creating a Meaningful Circle of GirlFriends. She is regularly appearing in the media offering her expertise on such subjects as creating new friends, learning how to to forgive our friends, social media’s impact on our friendships, and the characteristics of healthy friendships. A few of the TV shows she’s been on include The Today Show, Katie Couric’s Show, The Early Show, and Fox Business. She’s relied upon by writers and reporters from such magazines as Cosmopolitan, Essence, Parents, More, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, and Glamour, and for such newspapers as The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, the San Francisco Chronicle. Her spirited and soulful voice can also be found at ShastasFriendshipBlog.com and in her Huffington Post column where she regularly contributes on relationship health. She also teaches, lectures, and hosts Friendship Accelerator events in her hometown of San Francisco and throughout the U.S. 
Jensine (Yen-See Nah) Larsen is an award-winning social media entrepreneur, international journalist, and speaker. At age 28 she founded World Pulse – a digital media network connecting women worldwide and bringing them a global voice – after working as a freelance journalist covering indigenous movements and ethnic cleansing in South America and Southeast Asia. Today World Pulse is powered by 60,000 women from 200 countries, many who are using internet cafes and cell phones from rural villages and conflict zones, collectively improving the lives of 2.2 million people. After successfully launching a print version of World Pulse magazine, in 2007 Larsen turned her eyes to the future of communications technology in the developing world. She pioneered an interactive global women’s newswire where women worldwide – including those using internet cafes and cell phones from rural villages and conflict zones– can speak for themselves to the world and solve global problems. Most recently, Larsen has launched a new program that is training women in digital empowerment and citizen journalism that is fostering a network of vocal women leaders from some of the most forgotten regions of the world. Today women from virtually every country in the world are connecting through World Pulse and producing a multiplier effect of change. Women previously unknown by the global public are having their stories picked up from World Pulse by the BBC, CNN, the UN, and the Huffington Post and beyond. 
Having coached and developed more than 3,500 leaders in six countries since 1998, Sara Harvey Yao specializes in the area of Executive Leadership and Ego. Sara’s clients refer to her as the “Ego Whisperer” and appreciate her precise ability to hone in on the root cause of leadership challenges and quickly resolve them.
Stacey is an inspiring, energetic and authentic facilitator, coach, speaker and author – and the CEO of Connect Growth and Development. She is an advocate of bringing humanity back into the workplace. She has held positions over the last 20 years in evolutionary industries performing leadership, strategic and design vision roles in business, accounting and finance, consulting, client relations, software design and development. Stacey paired her degree in Business with a Masters in Applied Behavioral Science to create the “work love of her life”.
About Kristine: Kristine Carlson is an international bestselling author and a leading expert on love, success, grief, happiness, and parenting. She’s the NY Times bestselling author and co-author of Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff, Heartbroken Openand An Hour to Live, An Hour to Love. Kristine has sold over 25 million copies of her books, and has been featured on national radio and television broadcasts, including The Today Show, Empowered Living Radio, The View, and The Oprah Winfrey Show 
Previously an investment banking analyst and legislative assistant to two US Senators, KC Baker is an international women’s thought leadership & public speaking trainer, speechwriter, and two-time TEDx speaker.
Soraya Deen is a sought after inspirational speaker. She is master story teller and she inspires her audience to be authentic and know who they are behind their words. Her personal philosophy is that when we tell our stories we give others unequivocal permission to tell their stories.
Kate Purmal is the COO for an early stage stealth cell therapy company, and serves as a consultant, advisor and business coach to CEOs, executives, and entrepreneurs. An expert in launching successful new companies and business ventures, she has served as Senior Vice President of Digital Content at SanDisk, a founder and CEO of the software joint venture U3, and member of the founding management team at Palm, Inc.
Kristen Wheeler is a business consultant and executive coach who believes that workplaces should be arenas where people thrive while creating amazing results.
Confiding narratives and striking melodies illustrate the songs of Francesca Lee. Layered and lustrous, the music on her new full-length release, The Pieces Left, radiates from an organic center colored by electronic shadings and beats. As sonic light breaks through the opaque mist of a dense soundscape, the sound mirrors the drama of her locale: San Francisco, home to generations of visionaries.
Sonia Choquette is a globally celebrated spiritual teacher, six-sensory consultant, enchanting storyteller, and transformational visionary guide, known for her delightful humor and skill in quickly shifting people out of difficulty and into flow. She is the author of 19 international bestselling books on intuitive awakening, personal growth, creativity, and transformational leadership, including the New York Times bestseller “The Answer is Simple.” Learn more about Sonia 
Christine Arylo is a transformational teacher, internationally recognized speaker and best-selling author of the official self-love guidebook, 
Sara Connell is an author, speaker and life coach with a private practice specializing in women’s health & empowerment in Chicago. She has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, The View, Rickie Lake, FOX Chicago, NPR, and Katie Couric. Sara has also worked with companies and organizations such as: Avon, Origins-Estee Lauder, GE, The Leo Burnett Company, Unilever, Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Prentice Hospital for Women.
Betsy Sobiech is part of the global team that launched Tiara International LLC, a company that is redefining women’s leadership to include all women. As the Chief Operating Officer, her mission is to make the power and peace of true leadership accessible to everyone. She considers herself a practical philosopher and has a gift for simplifying the complex. Tiara’s integrated approach reminds us that leadership comes from within, from a unique sense of inspiration. The Tiara Model for True Leadership helps us continuously accept what is, clarify what’s next and stay connected to what’s most important. Betsy embodies this model, practicing every day, in every area of her life.
Julie Murphy Casserly is a 17-year veteran of the financial services industry and has often been referred to as a financial healer and visionary. She is turning the personal finance industry upside down by de-bunking standard financial planning processes and educating people about a new way of finding financial success… and it all starts from within.
While singing and visual arts were her earliest blooming talents, Dawn has continued to develop into an experienced Spoken Word Artist, Actress, and Playwright. Acting credits include: I Am Who I Am: The Teddy Pendergrass Story, Seussical the Musical, Don’t Make Me Over: A Tribute to Dionne Warwick, At Last: A Tribute to Etta James and many more.
Amy Ferris is an author, screenwriter, playwright, and editor.
