One of the most natural things in life is drilled out of us from a young age, the freedom to be our authentic selves. This is often by our well-intentioned parents who want us to behave in a manner that is socially acceptable. But when social acceptance becomes a higher priority than authenticity we lose our true selves. But you deserve to be you.
Find Your Power
As the most natural thing that has been drilled out of us, you may need a few tools to help you reclaim your authenticity and your power. Dr. Brené Brown’s book Daring Greatly and Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone are both an excellent place to begin.
Start Small
Not everyone can rip off the band-aid and jump all in after a lifetime of doing, saying and being what is expected. If it’s easier start with a few small changes. Sign up for that extracurricular activity you stopped doing because it was discouraged. Start saying no to the future commitments that don’t resonate with you. Recognize every inauthentic action and consider how you will handle it next time.
Surround Yourself With Authentic Others
Next up, start investing more of your time with the authentic people in your life. Don’t have any of those? Start looking because they are there and once you make the shift you will start attracting them.
For some, this transition will take less than a year and for some longer. But don’t lose sight because on the other side is the empowered life you deserve.
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