Authenticity might be your gold ticket to the life you dream of. At least, it’s a journey to your true self and once you become connected with your true self you gain a newfound strength that you can lean into and count on.
Finding our authentic selves is a journey filled with complexities, much like navigating through the layers of life itself without a GPS. And yet, once we understand who we are and what we want - we have a clear way to our inner voice. Navigating from our inner voice vs external views with the opinions of others is an unparalleled life that opens pathways and can even open closed doors.
Being authentic means being grounded in who we truly are, listening to our hearts, and staying true to our values. It's a process of constant self-discovery and alignment. On our path to authenticity, we learn to trace our feelings back to their origins and distinguish between our authentic thoughts and external influences. This is when we also connect with our deepest creativity.
Something to be aware of is that when we begin to truly lean into our authenticity we might lose people and go through friendship breakups because we’ve stopped performing to the needs of those who manipulate us.
In every chapter of my life where I’ve begun embracing authenticity, certain relationships fade away. People may resist our authenticity because it challenges their inauthenticity and the control they like to have over us. However, staying true to ourselves ultimately leads to deeper connections and inner peace. Authenticity can be threatening to those who settle for less and are merely pretending.
Discovering comfort in our own skin isn't a linear process; it ebbs and flows, requiring genuine introspection and effort. Childhood experiences heavily shape our authenticity. If we were dismissed or silenced, we may have learned to suppress our true thoughts and feelings in fear of rejection or judgment. The longing for acceptance can lead us to adopt personas - leaving us feeling disconnected.
What excites me about leaning into authenticity is healing and growth. It aligns our behaviors with our values, enables us to handle criticism constructively, and fosters self-awareness and empathy.
Imagine making decisions guided by your inner voice, rooted in truth and clarity. Authenticity allows us to embrace our emotions, speak our truth with courage, and engage in open, non-defensive communication.
Inauthenticity, on the other hand, leads to seeking external validation, judgmental attitudes toward ourselves and others, and a lack of social and self-awareness.
I can’t encourage you enough to embark on the journey of being authentically you. There’s no more powerful path to embracing your uniqueness, honoring your truth, and living a life aligned with your values. You’ll be unstoppable and free to take the steps you want in creating the life you dream of.