The Value Of Authenticity

The Value Of Authenticity

We all want more authenticity in our lives, from ourselves and from those around us. It’s easy to spot an inauthentic person, and this creates a complete lack of trust. At the core of authenticity lies the truth of being real.

This means letting yourself be genuine and forthcoming. These are the same things we look to see in other people if we are to let them in close to us.

It is easy to identify someone who is not authentic as they walk around with a false persona and act in a way they think the world requires of them. You might do the same thing as it’s hard to find the balance between being true to yourself and who the world thinks you should be.

Often we take on this identity that’s not even our own. The people we choose to spend our time with, the media and any deep-rooted expectation that we’re not good enough can dictate it. It’s important to push all this away if you are going to be truly authentic.

Now sometimes it is essential to put on a face as it may be required in certain social situations where you need to be more defensive. The problem is with people who wore this mask all the time and use it to take advantage of people. You think you’re getting one thing when it turns out they were pretending the whole time.

This is why we value authenticity so much. It’s building that sense of trust and connection with others. When the authenticity is not there, it provides a huge barrier that can result in being pushed away.

Becoming More Authentic

So how do you become more authentic? How do you make sure you are being as real as possible and why is this so important?

The first thing you can do is get to know yourself truly. Not on a superficial level but find out who you are as a person. What are your real viewpoints and thoughts? What is it you want and expect from others, along with yourself? The sooner you get the real sense of who you are the sooner you become more authentic.

Being authentic will open up new possibilities to you and expose you to people and things that can have a meaningful impact on your life. You won’t get these experiences when you put up a false front, and people are way and untrusting of you. So you need to get in tune with your feelings and identify your true values and needs.

Protecting Yourself

As mentioned before there will be times when you need to put up walls for your own protection. The most important thing is you focus on being as authentic as possible the majority of the time.

The times where you are more protective is about just that, protecting yourself from the people who try to take advantage of you with fake charm, false charisma, and an ungenuine personality. These are people you want to avoid because not only are they not being real they have a lack of values and little to no strong beliefs.

Make sure you identify the moments when it’s ok to be a little more guarded and when you can be open to others.

Another significant value that comes with authenticity is that it gives you more meaningful relationships. When you are not authentic, you make it nearly impossible to build trust with another person. Trust is at the core of any good relationship and to develop a real intimacy with someone you need to be as real as possible.

If you don’t allow yourself to be authentic, then you will only ever find yourself with hollow and shallow relationships that are not built on anything. Being authentic allows people to know you, like you, and trust you. Instead of trying to be something you’re not, allow yourself to be open and real and you’ll not only bring others in closer to you, but you’ll also get the reward of a more fulfilled life.

This can apply to romantic relationships and genuine friendships. Being genuine will open you up to more experiences and people, offering you the opportunity to enrich and improve their lives along with your own.

Over time you will learn to identify the situations where you need to be more protective and the ones where you can truly be yourself. The more you learn what to avoid the less time you will waste on those not worthy of your time and the more you can spend on those who love and appreciate you.