Authenticity
Hello lovely people and welcome back ❈
‘Authenticity’ is a big word, yet I like how it sounds and I like how it rolls off the tongue. But what does it actually mean? For me, it means being truly authentic – who you really are. Not who someone wants you to be, not a fake version of yourself but who you really are warts and all. Sometimes being authentic can be liberating for your soul, taking the worry and stress out of trying to act a certain way or trying to keep up a façade. So, let me ask you. Do you know who you are? Who you truly are? Do you live authentically or are you living to suit someone else's version of who they think you should be? FYI, you’re not who they think you are.
Many years ago, my partner was annoyed at a family member as this person was notorious for giving awful presents (Christmas, Easter, birthday), and my partner wanted to give something similar in return to this person. My reply was simple, ‘I’m not going to stop being me, I’m not going to live down at their level, that’s not who I am’. All those years ago I never really thought about whether I was operating from an authentic place or not, I just wasn’t going to stop being me because of how someone else was showing up.
As a child and teen, there were many times the situation required me to change who I really was, but as an adult, I’ve tried to live my life authentically especially after I turned 30 – this seemed to be a turning point in my life. This has meant that at times I have spoken up, disagreed with the majority, or offered a different perspective which hasn’t always been received well nor has it been a comfortable position to be in. Being true to what I believe in and what I know is right, is more important to me than conforming. Maybe my childhood has everything to do with not stifling my adult voice or speaking up for those who can’t. But at the end of the day dismissing my authenticity, who I am at my core and how I carry myself, goes against everything, it never sits well, and it impacts on my emotional well-being.
Let me ask you again, do you know who you are, do you know your values, do you know what’s important to you at your core? This is your authentic self. Do you care for and nurture your authentic self or do other people or situations impact how and when your authentic self shows up and is seen and heard? It can be uncomfortable living your authentic life, but sometimes it can be more uncomfortable not living authentically.
❈ Thanks for joining me! Be kind to yourself. Enjoy the rest of your day ❈