November 18, 2023

How to be More Authentic?

We all want to be authentic and live from the heart without fear, shining with our unique light and giving our talents to others. As the human brain is wired to stay safe, if you are not used to living authentically, you will feel challenged when doing it.

Probably, out of fear of not fitting in and being different, you keep giving up your authenticity to belong, which leads to feeling anxious, unfulfilled, and unhappy. If you want to start living an authentic life, keep reading this article!

What is Authenticity?

Authenticity involves the ability to be genuine and honest. It implies being real and true to oneself. One core element of being authentic is aligning your actions, beliefs, and expressions with your values and convictions.

When you are transparent and honest, both with yourself and others, and acting without pretense or facade you are being authentic.

How do you improve Authenticity?

Living authentically requires courage, vulnerability, and self-confidence. In other words, it is necessary to cultivate a deep self-love that remains unshaken by the opinions or demands of others.

For instance, when you are people-pleasing because you want to be accepted, you are not being authentic, since your needs and desires and not aligned with your actions.

Patterns of behaviors such as people-pleasing or self-abandonment are the opposite of self-love, and keep you living and interacting with family, friends, and society in an untrue manner.

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Being authentic also requires knowing every part of your being and loving them as well, even your quirks, the parts that you would like to hide, or the parts that you choose to disconnect from because of past wounds or traumas. Acknowledging them and honoring them is another step to being authentic.

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Key Aspects of Authenticity

Self-Knowledge

People who can be authentic are generally those who dedicate time to discovering their deepest motivations and manage to stay in touch with their emotions, desires, feelings, and needs. Self-awareness is a pathway to self-love and self-acceptance, enabling and facilitating being authentic.

Alignment with Values

Staying true to your core values is also key to being authentic. The alignment with your values provides a compass for decision-making and actions, following the paths, environments, and people that would enable you to be real and contribute with your uniqueness.

Courage

To be authentic you must also be willing to let go of old ways of being, societal expectations, family norms, and fear of judgment. You will need to learn to stay true to yourself even when it’s challenging. This doesn’t mean that you won’t respect others’ points of view or society’s norms, it means that you won’t hide or compromise your more essential characteristics and values to conform to them. That is why, courage is another important aspect of being authentic.

Vulnerability

Vulnerability is crucial in being authentic because it involves openness, honesty, and the willingness to expose one’s true self, including imperfections and insecurities. This allows for genuine connections with others. When you’re open about your thoughts and feelings, it creates an environment of trust and authenticity in relationships.

Self-acceptance and self-love

When you truly accept and love yourself, you no longer feel the need to put on a facade or conform to external expectations. This freedom from pretense allows you to express your genuine thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, being authentic. Is the result of knowing that your inner worth is rooted within and not given but someone else.

Embracing Uniqueness

Authenticity involves celebrating your uniqueness and individuality. It’s about resisting the urge to conform to societal norms if they conflict with personal values and staying true to what makes you happy and fulfilled, even if it’s different.

The Benefits of Authenticity

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Being authentic allows us to feel free, connect with people and places that share our values, and unfold our full potential without fear. Some of the benefits are:

More Self-Esteem

Living authentically involves embracing and expressing your true self. This self-acceptance contributes to higher self-esteem and a positive self-image.

Independence and Freedom

When you are being authentic you are less influenced by external expectations. You are more likely to make decisions based on your internal values and beliefs rather than conform to what others expect from you. This independence from external pressures allows for greater personal freedom.

Genuine Relationships

Authenticity gives you the chance to form genuine and meaningful connections with others. When you are true to yourself, it allows for more honest and open relationships and interactions with others, because you relate from a place of enjoyment instead of fear and insecurity.

Emotional safety

Authentic individuals tend to experience greater emotional well-being. Being true to your feelings and expressing them authentically can lead to emotional resilience and a more balanced mental state.

More Confidence

Authenticity is linked to self-confidence. When you are comfortable being yourself, it boosts your confidence in various aspects of life.

Stress Reduction

Living authentically can reduce stress because you are not expending energy trying to conform to others’ expectations- Authenticity promotes a more free and relaxed approach to life.

Assertive Communication

When you are authentic you will begin to display assertiveness in your communication. As you have no fears or self-doubt about your viewpoints, thoughts, ideas, and needs, you can express yourself more clearly, effectively, and directly.

More Creativity

Being authentic encourages the exploration and expression of your unique ideas and perspectives. This can lead to increased creativity and innovation and a greater contribution to development in many areas.

Leadership and Influence

Living with authenticity often serves as a positive influence on others, placing yourself in a role model position. You can inspire others to live in authenticity as well, creating a safe environment where true connection and growth are allowed.

Personal Fulfillment

When you are true to yourself, pursue your passions, and live in alignment with your values, it contributes to a sense of purpose and satisfaction that is created from the inside out, not the other way around. This enables you to attain more levels of happiness and fulfillment.

Deeper Relationships

Authenticity is the foundation of deeper, more intimate relationships. Others are more likely to connect with you on a profound level when they sense that you are being real and authentic.

In conclusion, being authentic is not as easy as it may seem. It requires self-awareness, self-love, courage, and a constant effort to uphold the notion that, while respecting others, we should not let ourselves be carried away by their expectations, impositions, or desires for ourselves and our lives

As Brené Brown said:

“Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of whom we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are”

If you want to embark on the journey inward to live a more authentic life, Book a Free Life Coaching Session Now with our certified life coaches! They will work with you and guide you on this beautiful process.