Spring Quarter 2024
Many people --I have done it myself--are processing through ‘what they had in mind’ or weaving between fitting in versus discovering their best selves--settling to adopt a cookie cutter approach to showing up in life. It can sound something like: By this age, I’ll have that. By this time next year, I’ll have traveled here. And darn by the end of 2024, I will be debt free! Well, maybe I can brand myself like so-and so since my influence isn't working.
But life has a way of inevitably hitting us in a way that cracks the mold of mediocrity and pushes us to unique strides of life versus striving to become an alternative of ourselves.
Before I even heard of Brené Brown from an entrepreneurial friend, I initially classified self- authenticity as: when individuals stop being imitators of others, they will be the most genuine and true.” Then, after having more life experiences under my belt, I accepted that to admire, support or even respect someone else's journey or potential is healthy. See, it comes down to identifying and embracing your unique talents, gifts, and strengths. In documentary The Call To Courage, Professor Brown states that “true belonging requires you to be who you are.” Today, I have personalized the meaning of authenticity and seek to align my service and work with this personal mantra: When I cease to compare myself to others, I can truly belong and take greater risks toward expressing my authentic being.
Cultivating our authenticity may mean seasons of dryness before we are essentially courageous enough to accept ourselves with all our strengths, idiosyncrasies and proclivities. Authenticity gives us permission to nurture the roots despite the rocks and mites that life may bring to our pots. Set your mind in the right soil (or conversations) to support who you deserve to become at this point.
It's your time to spring forth! You can begin today.
For more on the topic of Embracing Your Authenticity, check our summer archive podcast series at https://anchor.fm/ajessentials or visit our resources for tools to help you!
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