THE SEARCH FOR AUTHENTICITY
The more we live on the surface of our identity, the less authentic we become.
Take a second to look at the world around you—people are more focused on their image, occupation, social status, how many followers or likes they have, etc., but when does purpose come into play? When are we so faithful to ourselves that our genuine nature plays a part in every aspect of our lives?
I like to think of people as an artichoke—the more we peel back the layers, the closer we get to the heart, and that is where authenticity lies.
This is why certain people stand out from others.
Authenticity lives in the heart and in order to unleash it, we must nurture ourselves with worthiness, truth and reliance. However, we also need to know the difference between the voice of our egos and the voice of our true selves—be careful not to confuse authenticity with perfection.
We are constantly bombarded on a daily basis—thanks to social media mainly—as to what we should look like, what we should be wearing and how we need to act in order to be considered "cool," but no amount of changing our appearance will get us closer to our true selves.
The problem with this is that instead of looking at our potential and our desires, we look outside of ourselves to find who we are.
But that just makes up the outer layer—I am wondering what drives you? What makes your heart beat faster? Where does your light come from? What makes up the core of who you are?
Authentic people are hard to come by nowadays. Seeing someone reach their potential by following their path—not someone else's—and evolving, not changing because someone wants you to is a beautiful process to witness.
Recently, I’ve been more focused on surrounding myself with genuine people—people who add something to my life, who go through the day with intent and gratitude.
Authenticity doesn’t mean you have to open your heart to everyone without boundaries; it’s about showing up whole-heartedly. It’s about portraying yourself with truth and sincerity.
photos by Isicle
We tend to manipulate or mask our truest selves in order to dissolve judgment or to gain approval, but without sharing our inner selves comfortably, we can't go through our daily tasks with appreciation for life or for our differences. As a result, we diminish our authenticity.
Creating purpose allows us to go through life with intention. Originality is rare, but if we limit ourselves because we aren't grateful for our journey then we also limit our development. As we begin to alter ourselves to persuade others to view us in a different light, we start to lose sight of who we are and what, we as individuals, want.
Our culture does very little to value authenticity. We have the mind set that we have to fit in or that we have to be perfect, or we simply have to do something because someone tells us to do it. But free yourself from insecurity and fear and be true to your authentic self.
A genuine heart is contagious, so pay it forward by creating a persona that inspires others to peel back their layers. Submerge yourself in things that make you light up—that make you smile uncontrollably.
Authenticity is a rarity, yet is beautifully portrayed when it's comprised of appreciation, kindness and empowerment.