Why is this even important in a world of fake news, personal judgement, cultural wars and social media envy? Well its simple really because if you are not being the authentic you then you are living to fit in and living to fit in is the opposite of belonging. You are going to have to censor your truths, dress to a code, look a certain way, model yourself on others, mask your insecurities both physically and mentally, mask your strengths and your weakness, miss out on genuine connections, suppress your beliefs, feelings and emotions, basically live for others before living for you.
I get it, its not easy as we all want to be accepted and liked but is it not better to be liked and accepted for who you really are, not the fake person that you present yourself to be? There is no guarantee that the fake you will be liked more than the real you and also consider if these people that you have to be fake in front of to be liked, are they really the type of people whom you should be sharing your life with? We normally sense when people are not being authentic so who is really fooling who here?
If you are not being the real you then honestly you are not living fully in the moment. If during a conversation your motivation is to find ways to sound impressive, are you really fully engaged in what the other person is saying to you? If you are out with your friends but your focus is on breathing in to look slimmer or nipping to the restroom every 10 minutes to check your hair or outfit, are you really connecting with your friends? If on a first date you pretend to have a totally different lifestyle to what you actually live, are you really going to find your soul mate? If you don't admit that you were wrong, how can you be forgiven? If you don't say that you are hurting, how can you be helped? If you never speak your own personal truth, when will anyone ever believe you?
I want you to think for a moment about how you behave when you are at home alone. No one is watching you or judging you - its just you totally alone. How different is that person to the person you are in front of others? Think about how you eat spaghetti bolognaise at home compared to at a restaurant, I'm guessing there is a difference. You might feel fine about splattering the sauce all over your chin and cheeks at home but would not dream of doing that in a restaurant. Yes I know there is etiquette at play here and I am not suggesting that you eat like a pig next time you are out but its a good example of different behaviours. Maybe you sing at the top of your voice in the shower but never would you let another person hear you sing. Maybe at home you don't wear make up or hide a birth mark or wear glasses but you wouldn't dream of allowing another to see you that way. Do you have a hobby that you keep a secret? Do you have a dream of a future that you have never shared?
Is there something you can do now to show the world a little bit more of the real you? Give it a try because it is very liberating. You are an individual and you are truly unique. I would love for you to appreciate yourself a little bit more and feel confident about being the true you.
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