What does authentic living look like? That’s a question I ask myself daily in relationship with others, and certainly in my own inner dialogue.
I first began wrapping my head around the concept of what authenticity actually is, and what is costs when I began reading Brene Brown’s books and grew to love, appreciate, and hate her research. As we begin to understand the layers of protection we cloak ourselves in, and the damage it can cause to our own self and sense of joy and freedom, paired with the the way in which we interact with others, it’s pretty monumental.
The cost of authentic is vulnerability. With ourselves. With others. And it’s really, really hard. But, as we learn how to do it, and what the payoff is for each personal or interpersonal interaction we have that’s actually and truly real, it’s so, so worth it.
It’s starting to show up more and more. People feeling more connected to themselves and others the more they “show up” and let themselves be actually “seen”. In recent excerpts of how this plays out I saw in the most recent issue of “The Magnolia Journal” (yes, as in Joanna Gaines). There’s an article in there written by Jessica Honegger called “The Paradox of Authenticity” and then one written by Joanna Gaines titled “Life Unfiltered”. Great examples of the toll it takes on us to live under the boulder of other’s expectations, or the expectations we perceive them having. When we can let go and find freedom in being who we actually are, it’s certainly a game changer indeed.
Recommend reading: “The Gifts of Imperfection” Brene Brown