Seeking Authenticity
Authenticity is the foundation for genuine self-esteem and a self-empowered life. It frees us from the shackles of fear and conformity. This article exposes the consequences of not being authentic and highlights the ways to achieve it.
What does it mean for someone to be truly authentic? And how many people do you know actually fit that description? Do you feel that you're authentic? Let's take a look at what this word truly suggests and just what blocks us from achieving authenticity.
Naturally, the word authenticity evokes an image of something pure or unadulterated. A letter of authenticity confirms that a certain object or work of art is not a counterfeit. The act of authenticating is a process of determining that something is indeed genuine, as it is purported to be. Experts receive training to authenticate precious objects, memorabilia, and documents, among other rare items. Yet we have no such method for ascertaining the authentic nature of people.
Short of being caught in a bold-faced lie or transgression, methods of determining an individual's authenticity often go unexplored. One's authentic nature is revealed in their ability to express and share what they think or feel in a relatively unadulterated form. Diplomacy, political correctness, false flattery, people pleasing, avoidance and silence may, in fact, be designed to mask the authentic, unfiltered self.
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