What is Authenticity, Anyway?
What is Authenticity and why does it matter?
We’ve all heard the term “Authenticity” before, maybe too much. It’s easy to write it off as just another trendy, overused buzzword; something that’s been hijacked into the lexicon of brand strategy and social media. But over the next two months, we’re encouraging you to take a fresh look at the word Authenticity from the perspective of mental health and wellbeing.
What does authenticity actually mean in the context of your personal wellbeing and your sense of satisfaction with life? For many people, Authenticity means flourishing and fulfillment.
“Authenticity is the core of human flourishing and excellence.” - Stephen Joseph, from Authentic: How to be yourself and why it matters
Living authentically gives us the opportunity to align with our core values, act with integrity and connect with our sense of purpose. Value-alignment, integrity and purpose are three major building blocks of personal wellbeing and life satisfaction. Cultivating authenticity helps us lay these building blocks in place as we do the work to heal, become our best selves and thrive in a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
If authenticity is so important for our overall wellbeing and satisfaction with life, how do we get there? What can you do today, tomorrow, and next month to live more authentically?
When you break it down, Authenticity is all about knowing who you truly are and then choosing to live as that person. As Joseph describes in Authentic, first we have to know ourselves, then we have to own ourselves, and finally, we have to be ourselves.
In short, Authenticity is how we honor our true self.
Throughout this blog series, we’ll use Joseph’s simple Know Yourself + Own Yourself + Be Yourself formula as our guide to explore authentic living. Next week, we’ll dive into the Know Yourself part of this formula with some fun “Who am I?” exercises, including an art assignment for those who want to get creative!
For now, let’s kick things off by gathering some basic insights about how we interact with the world and our self.
Observation Exercise: Paying attention to how you feel
This week, start laying the groundwork for exploration by paying closer attention to how you move through different life scenarios and how you feel in these different situations. You don’t need to do anything with these observations just yet, but you might want to keep some notes on your phone or in a journal that you can reflect on later.
Here are a few questions you might ask yourself throughout the day to notice how you feel in different situations:
Does what I’m saying/doing actually represent my beliefs and values?
Does what I’m saying yes to, or no to, actually align with what I want?
Does what I’m doing right now represent what I believe to be right or fair?
Am I acknowledging and communicating my needs and goals in this situation?
As you make your observations, give yourself a gentle reminder to not judge yourself in these situations. Try to take the approach of being a “fly on the wall” and just notice how you’re feeling physically and emotionally. We’ll circle back to your observations in our next blog, so keep them handy!
Also, If you missed our last blog, check that out this week so you can take your personal Wellbeing Snapshot! This exercise will help you capture a baseline of what your overall sense of wellbeing is now. Then, you’ll have an idea of some growth areas you can focus on as we dive into the cultivation of Authenticity in the weeks ahead.
We hope this post has been helpful! Stay tuned for the rest of our Authenticity series as we continue exploring this topic together over the next two months. Until next time!
Want to dive deeper? Or, just need to talk?
Do you need support right now? Want to explore this topic more deeply with a coach or peer group? We’re here for you! Recovery Resources offers several great ways for clients, alumni and community members to get plugged in for one-on-one support and meaningful discussion.
Our Peer Support Program gives you the opportunity to get support from those with personal lived experience navigating challenges, questions or struggles that are similar to your own. This program offers both individual talk sessions and peer groups. A trained Peer Support Specialist will be your advocate and guide as you pursue your goals.
Our Holistic Coaching Program gives you the opportunity to get support from a certified Holistic Health Coach with more than two years of experience working specifically with people in recovery. This program offers both individual coaching sessions and coaching circle groups. Your coach will be your facilitator and accountability partner as you identify your strengths and values so you can effectively pursue your goals. Reach out to Kelsey Brasseur to get started: kelsey@recoveryresourcescolorado.org
