True to Form

To the best of my ability, I am authentic to myself. I do not believe that is a controversial statement. Honestly, I am unsure if I understand authenticity to oneself the same as my peers. I do not believe that I am just my basest instincts. My first thought is not necessarily the one I will act on. My goals are a large part of who I am, and those goals include becoming the person I want to be. Perhaps it is odd that my authenticity considers a future me alongside who I currently am, but I have always acted to reflect who I want to be. My actions, demeanor, and appearance are cultivated, yes. However, I do not consider that any less authentic because it is a choice made in line with who I am. I want to be kind and welcoming. I do my best to be so even if it contradicts my knee-jerk reaction. It is still genuine. Therefore, I do not see it as fake.

If “Being true to myself means being true to my own originality, and that is something only I can articulate and discover” then I believe acting in line with my ideal self is part of how I make that discovery (Taylor 52). “In articulating it, I am also defining myself” (Taylor 52). I am discovering if I can be the person I want to be, and I am defining who I am and will be.

I will say that I still act within the “social contract,” although I do so to my own standards. Certain social conventions can be discarded in my opinion and I do not uphold them in my daily life. Authenticity is heavily stressed in our society, although its meaning has been obfuscated over the years. I feel better when I am being authentic. Honestly, I think that is the core of it for me.