The power of authenticity cannot be understated. People can detect a fake person from every angle. If you aren’t authentic, neither will your staff or colleagues. It’s a tough thing to accomplish in an out of control cancel culture. When people are afraid to say or do something wrong, this strips authenticity from the core of our well being.
This article touches on losing the fear of acceptance, remaining authentic, and being comfortable in your skin.
The Power of Authenticity and How to Achieve It
By Shift - February 11, 2021
What does it mean to live authentically? This is something I’m still trying to figure out.
2020 has been an assault course, full of obstacles and challenges beyond what we’ve experienced before. However, it’s through this adversity and radical change that we presented with the opportunity to step into our true selves.
The definition of authentic is ‘of undisputed origin and not a copy; genuine’. To me this means full-acceptance, embracing who we are at present as well accepting all past versions of ourselves.
Acceptance comes from self-compassion, acknowledging that we are not perfect but we love and accept ourselves exactly as we are, with all our imperfections. There is literally nothing more powerful than self-acceptance. It’s at this starting place that you can launch yourself into living authentically.
To live authentically means also living a life of expansion and creativity. When we suppress who we are we suppress the unique talents we came to earth with, dimming our spotlights and blocking the creative flow by resisting who we truly are.
WHAT IS STOPPING US FROM LIVING OUR TRUE AUTHENTIC SELVES?
One of the major reasons for this is that we fear our true selves won’t be accepted or included by society. In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs ‘love and belongingness’ are essential psychological needs. Humans, by nature, have an ingrained need to be part of a community, to be accepted by the group.
It takes great courage to step into who we are, to stand up for what we believe in and follow a path that might look different to everyone else’s. Risking expulsion is terrifying for us.