On Being Authentic
Living in 2020 during the COVID pandemic, we are surrounded everywhere by masks. These masks offer us a sense of peace and security, perhaps even protection. But there are other, more invisible masks we wear – the kind that cut us off from parts of our true selves. These hidden masks prevent us from living authentic lives that hold us back from feeling comfortable in our own skin.
Authenticity is defined as the quality of being genuine, original, and shamelessly real; being true to oneself.
Why is it that so many people wear masks today, hiding parts of who they are? In our culture, things like popularity, escapism, and self-protection are celebrated and those trends keep the masses living in fear, preventing them from stepping into the truth of who they are. As soon as we limit ourselves with masks, we may achieve success, but not fulfillment, because we aren’t living out what we hold as most important to us.
There’s a great book by Bronnie Ware, a hospice nurse, called The Top Five Regrets of the Dying. In it, she asks patients on their deathbeds, at the time where they can perhaps see most clearly the value of life, about their greatest regrets. Their number one regret: “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.”
Being true to ourselves is about having the courage to define our own version of what it is to live a successful life.
By living a more authentically, you not only gain the trust of others and grow deeper in relationships, but you also create more inner peace while naturally inspiring others around you. It’s easy to spot those who embrace their unique selves because they often ignite a desire in us to move beyond the cultural norms and expectations.
For me, authenticity is about letting go of what others think of me and to consciously start living into my deepest values and beliefs. It involves taking off the mask of image, conformity and fear of disappointing others and sharing more boldly who I am with the world. It requires letting go of the mask, but the reward of settling more deeply into your own skin always is a price worth paying.
Do you feel aligned to who you truly are? What are the moments when you notice that your mask is on?
