A lot of us do not know what we are truly capable of. We suppress the creative qualities that lie within, and instead, choose to conform by following the crowd in taking the path presented to us by society. Whenever we deny ourselves the freedom to be who we could be, we deprive ourselves of the opportunity to fulfill our dreams, create genuine connections and live with a deep rooted sense of fulfillment and inner peace.
@brenebrown beautifully describes authenticity as the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we really are. This includes not only our passions and talents, but also our weaknesses and vulnerabilities. There is no doubt that in the judgemental world we live in, practising authenticity can feel like a daunting choice and many of us perceive a great deal of risk in putting our true self out there for the world to see.
What we have to remember is that there is even more risk in hiding our true persona and the gifts we have within. Our unexplored ideas, opinions, and contributions don’t just go away if we don’t act on them, they will eat away at our soul and leave us feeling like there is more to life that we haven’t yet managed to explore. When we live like this we open the doors to anxiety, depression and we can feel emotionally trapped.
Without a clear and concise plan to motivate and inspire our actions, we will most probably take the easy route. The route that invites the least judgement and criticism, the one that keeps us rested and unchallenged in our comfort zone. If we want to prosper by living strong and free, we must show the person we really are and create plans to manifest our own hopes and dreams.
We all have the choice to show up, be real and let our true selves be seen and heard, but many of us sell our soul by choosing the safety of being what we think others want us to be. It is only the weak that conform and sacrifice who they are for the sake of what others think. Those strong enough to be real, have a greater capacity to receive and give genuine love and connection for the important people they choose to have in their lives. It is for this reason that we owe our authenticity to not only ourselves but to those we love, being true to ourselves is the best gift we can give to those around us.
Choosing authenticity is not an easy choice. We live in a world that does it’s best to make us somebody other than ourself, to be truly and wonderfully authentic is for only the bravest of souls. Those who succeed find deeper relationships and live a life of complete purpose and meaning. We must fight the most courageous of battles to be true to ourselves, it may mean criticism and others questioning our behaviour, but our bravery will make us strong and bold, our plans will become real and inspirational and our relationships will become honest and deep. It is up to us to represent who we truly are, if we reassess the value we put on others opinions the task becomes easy and the benefits become unlimited, now what are you waiting for?
