Your authentic self – is that your default setting? Or does the desire to be part of the ‘in crowd’ drive you to hide who you really are?
Read this blog and in just ten minutes you’ll learn how to be Your Authentic Self!
Have there been times in your life when you felt you weren’t acting like your true self? Maybe you were unsure of a situation or were lacking the confidence to reveal who you truly are. Whatever your reason, you chose to hide your authentic self.
Personal concealment places you at the start of an emotionally unhealthy cycle. First, you feel unsure of yourself and this causes you to act even less authentic in the future.
You may even begin to wonder, “Who the chuff am I?” As you lose sight of your own desires, likes and dislikes, carried along in the boat of other people’s opinions, you’ll also find your sense of self slipping through the cracks of daily life. This can manifest as:
Feeling unable to make decisions easily for fear of a negative reaction from others.
Going the extra mile for others with your time and energy, and exhausting yourself in the process.
Spending money unnecessarily to impress others, leaving yourself with bags full of stuff that don’t reflect who you are – and empty pockets to boot.
Rather than spending time hiding from the world, you’ll flourish by revealing your authentic self to others. Becoming truly yourself in your interactions is definitely possible.
Commit to becoming your authentic self in these ways:
Monitor your feelings closely.
When you know and understand your own emotions, you’ll be less likely to behave in ways that contrast with your feelings.
Mindfulness will help you tremendously in your quest to be more authentic. Stay in the moment and consider what’s going on in your world in the present. What do you think about it? How do you feel about it?
Tune into your body and notice the energy of your thoughts moving through you. When you think of something what’s the corresponding emotion? How does that thought and emotion feel inside? Which way does it spin?
Give yourself time.
If something happens and you’re unsure of how to react or respond, it’s okay to not react at all. Allow yourself some moments to consider the situation.
If you feel pressure to respond, saying something like, “I’m not sure how to respond to that,” can be your best line of action until you’re more confident in your reaction.
Catch yourself being inauthentic.
When you realize you’ve been less than honest in a given situation, it’s okay to say, “Wait a minute, I changed my mind,” or “Maybe I’m not as sure about this as I thought.”
Remind yourself that you have permission to alter your response to anyone and anything at any time. Then, choose a route that’s more in line with how you honestly feel.
Notice what situations prompt you to be disingenuous.
Being insincere or untruthful each time you’re around your in-laws or your supervisor, for example, will reveal where your insecurities lie.
Do some self-reflection to determine why you’re behaving this way around that person or in that particular situation.
Be your authentic self with others to increase your level of confidence.
The ability to be open and honest shows that you like and accept yourself and you’re self-assured. Avoid being afraid or too timid to show others who you really are. Self-confidence goes a long way!
Realize that others truly appreciate you when you’re authentic in behaviour and comments.
Think about how you feel when you’re with someone who’s consistently open with you. It feels comfortable and easy to be with someone you know you can trust. There’s no tension or guesswork involved. If you keep this information in mind, you may find it a little easier to be authentic.
Show care and gentleness toward others.
You might be thinking, “What’s the connection between being caring and being authentic?” If you go out of your way to be polite and kind to others, it’s a natural response to be authentic with them.
Once you realize that you hold their feelings in your hands, you’ll know it’s necessary to be gentle and honest with others.
When you expend a little bit of effort on relating to others truthfully and carefully, you’ll gradually find that you like yourself more. When you offer authenticity to others, it sets a wonderful example for those around you. The more authentic you are, the richer the life you’ll live.
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And there’s more…
Want to learn more about being your authentic self? Take a look at these fantastic resources:
In Authentic, Stephen Joseph presents his fresh and inspiring perspective on the psychology of authenticity alongside practical advice and exercises for you to do. The exercises are revealing and will help you dig deep and uncover why you’ve moved away from your authentic self – and how to find your way back to your true self. Find out more – click on the link below: Authentic: How to be yourself and why it matters – Professor Stephen Joseph:
In this book, Christian Wilson examines and unlocks new systems to help improve your ability to stay laser-focused and motivated with unbreakable tenacity and resolve. It will calibrate your emotional systems, challenging and transforming your perceptions with a new upgraded mindset that will conquer any mountain and obstacle in your way. From the power of visualisation and self-talk, to the skills to master your environment and control your purpose, this book is a road map to the truly amazing you; one which will travel through time and space and challenge everything you think you know about, well…you. If you wish to unleash your true potential and upgrade every part of your life, then it’s time for a game changer. It’s time to Calibrate. Find out more – click on the link below: Calibrate: Unlock and upgrade your full potential, discover your true purpose, live a life beyond your defaults (Unlock Your Full Potential) – Christian Wilson:
Are you one of those people who dampens down your authentic self because you want to be seen as perfect and able to fit in with the crowd? Then you need this book! Amazon bestselling author, Damon Zahariades, offers a stimulating, thought-provoking guide that’ll help you to overcome your perfectionistic tendencies and enjoy a more rewarding life. He’ll take you, step by step, through a complete action plan designed to reverse your compulsion to be perfect. The tactics described in this book have been used by thousands of people to silence their inner critics, embrace imperfection, and live without fear of others’ disapproval. Find out more – click on the link below: The Joy Of Imperfection: A Stress-Free Guide To Silencing Your Inner Critic, Conquering Perfectionism, and Becoming The Best Version Of Yourself! – Damon Zahariades:
Do you want to create a life filled with feel-good vibes that makes your spiritual soul wiggle? Do you want to work less hours, have a better work-life balance and create a life and business you love? Then take a look at the Brilliant Biz & Life Academy - it's simply pure gold - I've done quite a few of the courses and highly recommend them! Please click on the link: Brilliant Biz & Life Academy
Fancy a bedtime story that helps you become confident? Settle back, get relaxed and listen to this sleep story for adults from my YouTube channel. Please like, share and subscribe to be kept up-to-date with the latest vlogs, videos and content! Click on the link below:
Want to discover how just one word can help you become more confident? Watch this Switchwords for Confidence video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wjUlM-SGy0&t=425s
To find out more about what switchwords are and how they work, my book reveals all! Find out more – click on the link below: Speak Yourself Happy: Use Switchwords to Create Your Ideal Life – Ruthy Baker:
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© Ruthy Baker 2020