Authenticity can be difficult to achieve, especially when we’re at the beginning stages of growth. Being authentic is about being who you really are. When we are authentic our best selves shine through.
What gets in the way of authenticity? Three things…
- Influences
- Necessity
- Insecurities
Influences:
Influences are hard to avoid. We are constantly surrounded by things that affect our actions, opinions and behaviors. With the internet and media always at your fingertips it’s easy to find ourselves mesmerized by many different influences.
When you over-consume influences they can affect the way you view life and the way you live it. Now, I’m not saying that all influences are bad, but an overload of influences can result in a life that isn’t authentic to you.
Take the idea of “keeping up with the Joneses” for instance. It’s the belief that if you aren’t always acquiring new things then you’re falling behind. That belief is an influence that our culture places on us that gets in the way of who we really want to be. Maybe, just maybe, you don’t really want a driveway full of big toys.
Necessity:
Necessity (sometimes it’s just the desire for something) can really get in the way of your authentic self.
Take, for instance, people who are dating. Some will sacrifice their authenticity to find love. They’ll become someone they aren’t just so someone else will like them.
Down the road they’ll begin to question if their partner could ever like them for who they really are, because they haven’t ever shown them their authentic self.
Insecurities:
Insecurities rob us of our authenticity.
Your insecurities will ALWAYS want you to be inauthentic. Why? Because it’s easier to be safe and inauthentic than it is to be vulnerable and authentic.
Vulnerability is the answer to authenticity (in all of these instances!).
Influence, necessity and insecurity are authenticity killers. When we let them run our lives we will never be fully satisfied with who we are.
Let me know what you think in the comments below. I’d love to hear your opinion on this!!!!!
Right on Lynn! Being insecure has been hard for me. It does get in the way of me being happy.
I needed this. All my life insecurity has been a struggle. But I am moving past it the best I can.
Powerful words! Number 3 is my biggest downfall.
I feel like I’m pretty authentic, but I haven’t always been. Influences have definitely been the biggest struggle for me.
Thank you Lynn. I really enjoy your words of encouragement every week and daily on your FB page.