Why Being Authentic Increases Self-Worth

Know your role and play it– leaning into your true self to realize the value of being you.

There is a popular myth in spiritual circles that ego is a bad thing… BUT this belief is totally faux pas. There is no one on Earth that is youer than you. Your ego is your universally assigned role. In other words, all the world’s a stage toots, and you came to play as you.

Seuss knows All.

❤

Having been assigned the role of ‘Barbie,’ waking-up to the character of me has been quite the doozy. In accepting I couldn’t fake being me if I tried, I’ve learned to lean more fully into who I B.

Comparisons and score sheets don’t add up when it comes to being your best, for you’re the only one who knows how.

Human’s have a strange tendency to run away from their truths. Maybe we’re afraid of being failures. Maybe we’re afraid to find out who it is we actually are. Maybe it’s a double whopping combo.

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No matter what, you’re going to show-up today as somebody, so you might as well be you. Knowing who you are means realizing your worth.

What does it mean to be authentic?

Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans have all engraved the wisdom, “Know Thyself” on their most sacred temples. This key learning is missing from any lesson objective, yet it is one of the most profound findings that can be uncovered.

The structure for the true you stems from your belief systems. As young children, we are sponges picking-up the habits and beliefs of those around us. Being authentic requires reflecting on belief systems and taking inventory.

• From where do your beliefs originate?
• Do they still resonate with you?
• If you hadn’t learned specific belief patterns from parents, teachers, or elders would you have come to adopt them on your own?

Tamra’s on her real, real.

Ultimately, authenticity is vulnerability. It’s living a life of uncertain spontaneity to discover what’s true.

“To be authentic, we must cultivate the courage to be imperfect — and vulnerable. We have to believe that we are fundamentally worthy of love and acceptance, just as we are. I’ve learned that there is no better way to invite more grace, gratitude and joy into our lives than by mindfully practicing authenticity.”

―Dr. Brené Brown

Essentially, being authentic means mindfully choosing to show up as you… to be genuine rather than complacent… to follow your calling instead of the crowd.

What are the traits of authentic people?

Authentic people are one-of-a-kind and they know it. They also accept they aren’t assigned one specific role. Human beings are in a constant state of change– like the seasons or the moon.

In the age of social media, it’s quite challenging not to succumb to the temptation of comparison… BUT when being authentic, the only person worth comparing yourself to is the one you were yesterday.

“I’M IN MY OWN COMPETITION, I’M COMPETIN’ WITH MYSELF.”

– CARDI B.

According to Professor Stephen Joseph, PhD, author of Authentic– How to Be Yourself & Why it Matters, the 7 Key Traits of authentic people are they…

1. Have realistic perceptions of reality.
2. Are accepting of themselves and of other people.
3. Are thoughtful.
4. Have a non-hostile sense of humor.
5. Are able to express their emotions freely and clearly.
6. Are open to learning from their mistakes.
7. Understand their motivations.

Authentic people are successful people.

Happiness is the greatest success. Authentic people are happy people because they DGAF about how others perceive them. Instead, they spend their energy fueling their passions. To live a life of passion is to live in joyful, authenticity.

Missing from the photo: David Bowie.

Authentic people are incapable of duplication– David Bowie, Miley Cyrus, and Kanye West are just a few notable examples. The inability to assign these stars to a particular role or predict their next moves, emphasize how they have taken ownership of their own beings.

If goals and accolades don’t stem from an authentic place at your core, then they don’t belong to you. Through identifying your passions and being courageous enough to pursue them, you choose to be authentic. To dedicate yourself to your purpose means believing in the value of your truth.

So how do I be authentic?

Getting to know you is a life-long journey. You won’t find all the answers in one day… and if you do… you probably aren’t being true…

In order to be authentic spending time alone is essential. This does not mean submitting yourself to a life of hermitude, rather investing in self-care.

Here are a few tips to discovering the unique treasure that is Y-O-U:

• Ask yourself, “What do I stand for?”
• Meditate each day for at least 15 minutes. This practice aids in clearing your mind of programmed chatter and connecting you to higher realms.
• Journal to self-reflect. What do you want your life to look like in 1 year? 5 years? Tomorrow? Why did a particular circumstance upset you OR excite you? Reflection aids in understanding what makes you tick.
• Say NO when something doesn’t resonate with your truth.
• Be brave enough to say YES when aligned opportunities call you.
• Practice self-love– it may sound cheesy, but cheese is delish. Say affirmations. Affirm your worth. I highly recommend Regan Hillyer’s Self-Love Tool Kit for unlocking your truest version.

Conclusion

“Who in the world am I? Ah, that’s the great puzzle.”

― Lewis Carroll , Alice in Wonderland

Knowing who you are means creating who you are. Take the time (and money) to invest in yourself because YOU ARE WORTHY.

Who R U?

When selecting to live an authentic lifestyle, you choose truth, courage, passion, spontaneity, and draw more closely to becoming at one with the YOU-niverse. You see, that which you are is part of that which there is. When you choose to be true, you truly get to experience the value of being alive.

What habits do you practice to keep it realer than really real? Share in the comments below (follow me on IG, get in touch, etc.)