HOW TO FIND YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF
Be true to who you are. Be your authentic self. How many times have you seen or heard these phrases? We know that living authentically and being true to who we are will help us feel more fulfilled, but where to start?
Being authentic means staying true to the core of who you are. When you really know and trust yourself, you add value and spontaneity to your life. Rediscovering, or building, the real you, is essential to living a purposeful life.
So, here are 5 tips to help you figure it all out:
ALWAYS BE TRUE TO YOURSELF
Obvious, right? This looks like knowing your values and never compromising on them . Sure, you might get some sort of short-term gain, but is it worth it? Integrity and authenticity go hand in hand.
Do you know what your values are? How can you make sure you live by them? Narrow down your top 5, and put them somewhere you will see them. Post-It’s, screensavers, whatever works so you have a daily reminder to reference.
BE GOOD TO YOURSELF
I know what you’re thinking - I already do that! I treat myself to a Domino’s last night, and I had a lie in the other day! Ok, but how do you nourish your body, mind and soul? Could you learn a new language, discover some new music, bake, go hiking, start your own business, leave the soul sucking job that drains the life out of you? Find things that nurture your soul and make you feel good about yourself. Doing this will deepen your sense of self, and build your confidence.
HAVE FUN
Life is short. And hard. Make time and space to actually have fun - exercise your funny bone! What makes you laugh? What one thing do you do that is fun? If you can’t think of anything, time to find a new hobby. What did you do for fun as a child? Go do that. I mean it!
DON’T HIDE YOUR ‘FLAWS’
No-one is perfect. Being authentic means rocking the real you. warts an’ all. Maybe you’re grumpy in the morning, antisocial, a but weird, pessimistic….so what? Get to work understanding yourself, and bring it all to the table. By hiding parts of yourself, you’re denying everyone the chance to get to know the real, glorious you. Let her be freeeeeeee!
KNOW WHAT YOU WANT
Career trajectories can be pretty impossible to predict. But, if you know who you are and what you want, you’ll save a lot of time and energy. As much as you can, only go after opportunities that ignite your passion and your soul. Authentic people are exciting, and refreshing - exciting companies are hungry for authenticity. Find your true self and run with it.
What if you don’t know what you want to do with your life? No idea what you really want? Click here to get started on finding what you want to do with your life - and get to work pursuing it.
