I cannot be anything but who I am, and
who I am grows more authentic everyday.
I wrote that line, then paused. Something felt “off” in it, and I needed to figure out what. Then it occurred to me: By saying I am “growing more authentic,” I actually might be stating that I’m not authentic now, or yet, and that’s simply not true.
I write a lot about authenticity. In fact, I would go so far as to say it’s been a major theme of my work and study –
What does it mean to live an authentic life? Who is the authentic self?
These questions bounce around my head on a daily, if not hourly, basis. So, it seems natural that I would write that opening line, because it’s true. Kinda sorta.
I DO feel that I am growing more and more authentic each day. It’s also true that each day I am alive, I am being my authentic self.
Basically, I don’t think there’s a door through which we walk that says:
“You’ve arrived! Welcome to your authentic self and life. Congratulations!”
I think it’s a journey, a process that unfolds over time, in time. And because of that, I also now believe that we are living authentically each day that we are on that journey.
Authenticity is a journey comprised of authentic moments, neither of which are mutually exclusive. They coexist, side-by-side, one informing the other as we make the next choice on our path. So, who I am today might be only a glimmer of who I am tomorrow, but both are unequivocally authentically me. Which goes for you, too!
And that’s the best news: No more waiting to reach some landmark to be our “authentic self.” Each day we choose to get up, be present, and live, honoring our journey – we are being authentic.
What does that look like for me? Some days that’s messy, other days it’s silly. I see inspiration all around me. Sometimes I’m romantic (ok, a lot of the time), and other times I’m very business-y. I get sad, happy, angry, tired, frustrated, and joyful at little things (sometimes all at the same time). Big things are easier for me to deal with somehow. And at the end of it all, and most importantly, I’m always, always me. Phew!