So how important is authenticity, really?

It’s almost cliche by now to talk about living from authenticity. To bring your whole self to work and to life. But what happens when we don’t or feel like we can’t?

Trauma specialist Gabor Mate attributes the inability to safely or comfortably live from authentic expression as a key source of our difficulties. When experienced in childhood or beyond, it can even lead to mental wellness issues, and in some cases, to chronic illness.

Can you sense for yourself the kinds of issues that can arise from not being your true self? From my own childhood experiences, coping strategies took on the flavor of pleasing or trying to prove my value. Much later in adulthood, I realized that this resulted in large reserves of regret and resentment until I finally turned inward, got support, and started the healing process. 

So, if you notice yourself holding back, what might enable genuine authenticity to flow again for you? We were all born with pure wonder and boundless creativity. Many factors can lead to masking or clouding our true selves. The good news is that it’s never too late to turn towards what makes our life flow more freely again.  Because everyone deserves it.  In fact, the evidence is clear that your well-being depends on it.