Authenticity Matters 

With so many cosmetics products, articles on how to behave and feel, guidelines for what is appropriate and what is not, as well as tons of products which all somehow can make you “better” it is easy to lose sight of your authenticity. Although, being authentic and your true self, seems to be the door to happiness.  

According to Psychology Today: “There appears to be an inverse correlation between one’s sensitivity to what others think of them and the ability to be authentic. Authenticity requires a genuine sharing of your inner self, irrespective of the consequences. Very often, our actions in a given moment are intended to avoid specific consequences.” Therefore, we alter or mitigate our communications or behavior to assure that those consequences won’t be negative or problematic. These tendencies diminish our authenticity and constrain our growth and self-esteem. Being authentic requires genuine being and sharing in the present moment. Ordinarily, though, our thoughts conspire in a tangle of excuses as to why we can’t do something. These are the consequences mentioned previously. According to Psychology Today: “This is the core of inauthenticity; our words or actions become disguised from their original intent since we choose to mask them. When this occurs, we literally subvert our genuine self.” 

In other words, how many times have you had an opinion but refrained from sharing it or stated something else because you’ve felt it was the right thing to do in that situation. Have you ever wanted to wear certain clothes, but you were afraid of judgment? When your actual wants and needs are suppressed, you feel less happy. You feel like you were not able to show your true colors and had to play a specific role. You feel suppressed.  

These are the situations which make you lose your authenticity. Although, there are ways to compromise and practice being authentic while also abiding by social and stated norms when necessary.  

You can choose a day when you let loose and do precisely what it is you feel like doing or wearing or expressing yourself. On this day you can practice self-expression just like you would go to the gym on a particular day of the week. At other times, you can have collect keepsakes of things which seem authentic to you to understand what you is indeed meaningful to you.   

Overall, trying to incorporate activities which make you feel connected to your true self into your everyday life is essential to your well-being. 

For more information read:  

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/shift-mind/201208/seeking-authenticity