The older I get, the more I value authenticity.
I have been receiving signs emphasizing the importance sharing information about authenticity with others. I knew this was something I wanted to write about, but I was having a difficult time getting started. Then when I began writing this post, I discovered that I’d started and abandoned the very same topic almost a year ago! So in the interest of honoring the signs telling me now is the time, I am going to finish writing this today!
Being authentic to me means several things. First, and foremost, it means following your heart. If you do and say and act upon what is in your heart, you can’t help but be authentic. Beneath all the layers and the complexity of our lives, we are all loving human beings at our core. The more someone is in touch with that part of their being, the more likely they will be to act in ways that are authentic.
Another important aspect for me is to be brave enough to truly be yourself. This means not worrying about what others think or comparing yourself to others. If you are in touch with your heart, but you let your ego overrule it, then you won’t be authentic. It takes courage to be the one who speaks your truth when it is different than everyone else’s. It takes bravery to blaze your own trail instead of imitating what someone else has done. I have seen many times people say things they clearly didn’t mean when they are in a group just to fit in. And yet I have watched others speak up even though they may have faced ridicule or scorn from others. Those brave souls are the people I trust and the ones that I believe will have success and happiness flow to them. Because they are being authentic.
The last sign of a truly authentic person to me is someone who is humble and conducts themselves with humility. If someone is in tune with their heart and is brave enough to act on it, then this will lead them to act in ways that are inherently fulfilling. They will not also be striving for fame, or money, or even praise – although any of those things may follow naturally. But seeking them is a trap of the ego. I see a lot of people, some of them quite gifted or talented, who fall into that trap.
I also see some people being inauthentic because they are utterly paranoid that others are going to steal their ideas. They rant and rave against it and make sure the whole world knows it’s them any time they try to share anything with the world. Yet these same people are often the ones who lack any true originality, inspiration, or insight. What they put out there ironically tends to be conveniently “recycled” from other sources with their own name splashed across it in neon letters. They’re blinded by their own insecurity so they can’t see that they are being inauthentic.
I was recently reminded about another aspect of being inauthentic when I saw a well known psychic publicly bragging about a prediction they was made that came true. But there was no mention of the other things on that huge list of predictions that didn’t come true at all. What was the point of bragging? I saw that and felt sorry for the person as well as the people who would be attracted to that kind of “see, I told you how great I am” attitude. To me that isn’t authenticity, it is a sign of pure ego and insecurity.
It can be hard to be authentic on social media where people seem obsessed with “likes” and “followers”. I was in a beautiful tropical area last year, walking along ocean. I saw a woman taking a selfie by the water. Posing several times and checking her camera. Then posing again. And again. When I came back walking the other way 30 minutes later she was in the exact same spot, taking the exact same photographs of herself. There is nothing authentic about that, and I felt very sad for her that she chose to spend her time doing that instead of enjoying the view at this tropical paradise.
We all have our own unique, authentic voice and it is important to share it with the world. If we are in touch with our hearts and have the courage to avoid ego traps, our authenticity will shine through and naturally inspire others.
Are you honoring your authentic self today?
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