What is authenticity?

Living authentically is a courageous journey that holds the key to unlocking less stress, more happiness, fulfilment, and deeper relationships in every aspect of your life. It goes beyond surface-level genuineness and encompasses deep self-awareness of your emotions, beliefs, actions, desires, strengths, values, and dreams. 

Showing up authentically in life is so much more than being genuine and presenting our authentic selves to the world.

Authenticity is not a fixed quality; it is a way of being in the world.

It is the practice through which you build thriving and loving relationships with yourself and others. 

Brené Brown in her book, The Gifts of Imperfection states that “Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.” 

In the prevailing “cancel culture” it can be difficult to celebrate our uniqueness particularly when so many of us are quick to define ourselves in terms of external validation. It can be terrifying to take ownership of our unique voice and opinions when so many of us are punished for expressing new and fresh perspectives. It’s often easier for us to self-censor than it is to stand firmly in our values and beliefs. 

There is a great cost to playing it safe and choosing popularity over authenticity, our peace, connection, and wholeness. 

Fear often attempts to hold us back from embracing our authentic selves. It whispers doubts about acceptance and judgment. Yet, when we shed the masks and embrace who we are, phenomenal things occur. Life doesn’t suddenly become perfect and easy, but relationships are deepened as we step into the freedom that comes from breaking free of societal expectations. From deep self-awareness, you can begin to align your inner and outer worlds and cultivate the emotional resilience needed to gracefully navigate life's ups and downs. 

You will never influence the world by trying to be like it. If you want more for yourself, your life, and your world you have to embrace fear, uncertainty, and discomfort and choose authenticity over and over and over again.