When does authentic become unacceptable? Is there a way to always be authentic?
Let’s start off by looking at what it means to be authentic. To be authentic means to live and express yourself in away that is true to who you are rather than conforming to the expectations of others. But is this really always possible? I personally don’t believe so. I think there is a fine balance that one needs to find. I lived in and visited many different countries and needed to adapt according to that culture. I was not always my authentic self. I was not always dressing, eating or behaving in a way that was true to myself however, I chose to be in that culture which means I needed to respect their lifestyles. However, that did not mean that I had to change any of my beliefs, but rather simply respect theirs while living in their country.
So how do we be true to ourselves? In my case, disrespecting or not being a part of this other culture in which I was living would not be true to myself. By adjusting my ways to their culture, I was being authentic because I was more comfortable respecting their ways than to disrespect their culture.
So how do we know when we are authentic? The inner discomfort or inner peace is your answer. How uncomfortable the situation makes you feel is how you determine whether you are being authentic.
What makes us not be authentic then? Generally, it is a fear of rejection or judgment, desire for approval, or social conditioning. And this all boils down to the desire to be accepted and thereby loved and when we are loved, we feel a strong self-worth. When I work with clients in Hypnosis, it always boils down to self-worth while everything else is just a symptom.
Let’s take a look at how we can aim to be our authentic selves and maintain a healthy self-worth.
- make the person or people you are communicating with, feel good. We do this by being compassionate, empathetic, and speaking without judgment. When possible and authentic, compliment them.
- Avoid blaming the other or putting yourself in a victim state. Instead, simply express the way you are feeling
- Be an active listener and acknowledge their emotions
- Avoid generalizations and finite words like “always” and “never”
- Be mindful of body language making sure the body language correlates with the words being spoken.
Being authentic is respecting and honoring your self-worth. So, respect and honor your self-worth as well as others’. If you feel your self-worth is fragile, consider Hypnosis sessions with us at Self Empowered Minds or our Reiki and Meditation sessions that focus on healing trauma, clearing ancestral wounds, healing your heart and letting go so that you may live a life you deserve and desire.
