Authenticity

In a world full of expectations, finding your authentic self can feel like an impossible task. Yet, authenticity at its core is true peace and freedom. So, what does it really mean to be authentic and why is it so difficult for us to be true to ourselves?

Being authentic is living in alignment with your inner values, rather than conforming to the expectations placed on you by others. These being your core beliefs, emotions, and actions. This is not about perfection. It's about accepting who you are and expressing yourself without hiding parts of yourself in order to be liked or accepted.

Today, being authentic is a radical act of self love. It's a commitment to living freely and apologetically. Though, this doesn't mean we're always comfortable and confident. The facts? Embracing authenticity means facing discomfort and vulnerability.

Authenticity feels like you're floating. There's a quiet peace within you, where your words, actions, and inner thoughts are all aligned in harmony even if the external world doesn't approve. You're not seeking validation from others, but being at peace with yourself. There is no need to hide or to pretend. You're not giving your energy away to people that do not deserve it. Instead, express your true feelings, opinions, and desires regardless of how others might react. Authenticity gives you a sense of ease. You no longer feel exhausted having to wear that mask in public settings. You're not performing anymore. There's no image to uphold. You just are... and that's enough.

Your authentic self is your soul self. The part of you that exists beneath the roles, trauma, and fear. When you strip all of that away, what's left is your essence, your truth, your spirit.

Your higher self is the version of you that is already whole. It's a part of you that is constantly connected to divine wisdom, compassion, and purpose.

Authenticity is the bridge between those two.

So, why is this such a struggle? What's the root of the problem? From childhood we're taught to conform. We must fit into predefined roles, meet expectations of our parents and teachers, and perform to gain their approval. Over time, this conditioning disconnects us from who we truly are. We learn to wear the mask to avoid judgement, rejection, etc. For most, the fear of abandonment is the root cause of this struggle. If you have experienced trauma, abuse, neglect, you may have learned that the only way to feel loved is to wear the mask. You suppress your feelings and put on a "good" face, people-pleasing, even if it means losing touch with your own desires and needs. This fear of rejection becomes so ingrained that it makes authenticity feel unsafe. It's easier to hide behind the mask than risk being seen for who you truly are.

What does conforming look like?

"If I am quiet, I am safe."

"If I agree, I won't be punished."

"If I don't speak up, I won't be rejected."

"If I am pleasing, I will be loved."

You shrink yourself. The mask makes you feel loved and wonderful, but you are suffocating, and over time you will forget where the mask ends and you begin. As you get older, another fear creeps in: the fear of losing yourself. Which sounds like:

"Is this who I really am?"

"I don't feel like myself anymore."

"I have spent so long trying to be enough for everyone else, that I don't even know who I am anymore."

At what point do you finally choose yourself? Instead of letting the fear of rejection control you and keep you small, the fear of losing yourself requires the courage to take up space. Sometimes choosing yourself does mean being rejected by others, but the alternative is abandoning your soul.

The mask is a survival mechanism. It's your protection, your armor, protecting you from the pain of judgement or fear of abandonment. Though, the mask comes with a price. The longer you wear it, you'll forget you're wearing it. You start to believe that this is who you truly are. The true self will feel like a distant memory, buried beneath layers of conditioned behavior.

Reconnecting with your authentic self is a process. You're remembering who you are from a new, healed perspective and discovering who you are now, then you learn to live in alignment with both. Each moment you have a choice to live more in alignment with your soul self; and each time you make that choice, you strengthen your connection to your higher self. You are outputting a signal into the universe that you trust yourself, and that is sacred.