How real are you really?
Be careful NOT to be an imposter
“Be unique”, “Be YOU”, “Nobody can be YOU”...and so we hear these quotes daily, but what does it really mean?
Many years ago I attended a conference and the theme was ‘Be different and show up as YOU’. For me, at that point in my life, it was a no-brainer. “Of course I am going to show up as me” I thought to myself as I listened to one of the speakers. The ‘being different’-part, is what I had difficulty grasping at that time. I didn’t want to stand out of the crowd. I wanted to fit in. I wanted to be accepted as conforming to the norm, and do what is acceptable according to society.
Fast forward years later, I have made Authenticity my mission and what it really means to be YOU. Call me the Authenticity advocate. 😊
Authenticity is the quality of being genuine or real - no additives added.
Easy enough? I think not. In a world where our lines of authenticity and society expectations are blurred it becomes more and more difficult to embrace your authenticity.
The question is now, how do we stay or embrace authenticity in a world begging for us to conform?
For me, it was more than just being authentic but rather a journey of self-exploration and embracing my authenticity whether I liked it or not.
It wasn’t an easy journey. This process asked me to be totally honest, going raw, do a deep dive into my being and then I loved what I discovered.
So how did I do it? Here are a few tips on how to dig deep and embrace your authenticity.
Firstly, you need to strip all your labels right down to the core of you
Labels? These are those generic words we so easily add to our presentation of ourselves, ie. Mom, Granny, Partner, Job title, Status, Education. Take them all away and have a good look at what is left. Who are you? Who are you really? What do you like? What are your characteristics? What are your core values?
Understanding who you are enables you to start seeing your authenticity, your uniqueness, your power, the part that no one else can copy-cat.
Secondly, celebrate your strengths and nurture your weaknesses
This is the exciting part... you might say I don’t really have strengths, but look again. Just because you are not building an empire or are at the top of your peer group does not mean you don't have strengths.
A key strength of yours could lie in the fact that you are always lending an ear when your partner, friend, or colleague needs to vent. It could be your organising skills when it comes to family get-togethers, or it could be that special gift to dish up the best meal for friends and family. Whatever it is, embrace it -- this is what makes YOU.
As for your weaknesses, nurture them. This is not the time to bully yourself, run yourself to the ground and believe all the lies you are telling yourself. This is the time to nurture your weaknesses --whether it is impatience, shyness, a lack of confidence, having difficulty saying no, or any other issue you might see as a weakness
In closing, not every one of us is meant to steer the ship, but it requires all of us to bring our unique set of skills to this world to steer to happiness, vulnerability, and success. If it is impatience, practice meditation. Confidence, then engage with a confidence coach. The important part of all this is to ensure that whatever you see as a weakness, is to engage in methods to improve on them.
Thirdly, find your uniqueness
In a world that shouts conformity, it is authenticity that overrules the norm and allows for vulnerability and sincerity, to carry the day.
Our subconscious mind is the tell-tale of who we truly are. As a Truth and Creditability consultant, our subconscious mind reveals what we are meant to say, which we have no control over. Whether it is through a mannerism, a twitch, or a way of speaking. When we are not true to who we really are, our body will go out of sync.
Authenticity asks of us to be vulnerable.
The scary part is that no one wants to open up, just to get hurt, rejected, or laughed at, but if we can show the world that we accept everyone around us in their own unique authentic way, we can teach and inspire others to do the same. Before we know it the world has become a kinder place for all of us.
No one wants to show their cards, but here I am today, begging of you to go and take time out and celebrate your uniqueness.
Uniqueness could be in the way you make people laugh, the way organize in moments of chaos or it could be the way you care....whatever it is EMBRACE IT.
Three small steps, giant leaps to authenticity and confidence.
Lizette Volkwyn
