Are you living a life free from judgment or do you worry about being judged so you wear a mask?

On this journey to finding your life purpose, you will be confronted with many things. 

One of these is whether or not you are living an authentic life.

What do I mean by saying living authentically?

Living authentically means that you are living a life that is true to who you are deep down inside and you do not let anyone change you or make you question who you are.

Not everyone knows what it means to live authentically or even what being authentic looks like.

So often we conform to our surroundings without even thinking. 

You are with your friends and you’ve been spending so much time with them that it is hard to tell where they begin and where you end.

You start to dress alike, talk alike and you even start to eat things you do not like or ever have any interest in eating.

Are you just exploring different things or are you taking on these new things because you are being influenced by your friend?

My answer is a combination of both. 

Your friend is showing things you have never known but they are also influencing you to do things you necessarily would not do on your own.

You can spend time with your friend and even be introduced to new things without fearing judgment, ridicule, or differing options. 

While this is a mild example, things can go in a very different direction.

People who live authentic lives are not afraid of having different opinions, they are not scared of being judged, they feel free to be themselves no matter the situation.

Living Authentically is not easy for anyone. 

Authentic living is something most of us strive to achieve at some point in our lives but often struggle with. 

 Ultimately no one wants to be judged and everyone wants to be free they are just are not sure how to go about it. 

A part of the struggle is not knowing where to start.

The best way to start is to get to know yourself.

How do you get to know yourself?

You spent time with yourself.

You explore your likes and dislikes.

You find the things that make you happy.

You find the things that give you joy.

You find the things that calm you.

More importantly, you find the things that make you who you are?

You learn to own your fears and flaws. 

You become comfortable with yourself. 

 Authentic living frees us from the judgments of others and ourselves.

Sometimes, we can be harder on ourselves than any other person in the world and for what reason other than not living up to a standard that was set for us.  

Think about it for a minute most people are more critical of themselves than anyone else could ever be.

 The transition to authentic living is not always easy but it can be much easier if you have someone who can help you along the process.

Having someone to help you with the transition to living a more authentic life helps you recognize when you are falling into being critical of yourself.

Having someone by your side can help point out some things that you may not have been able to recognize in yourself.

Why is living authentically important for us?

 Authentic living is important because it lays the foundation for a successful life journey. 

Starting to live in authenticity opens the door for a person to see different aspects that have an influence on their lives and take back the reins and control over their lives. 

Taking control of your life and not waiting for permission to live is one of the most freeing things a person can do. 

Are you ready to take the necessary steps?

The first step in living an authentic life is to become self-aware.

 Becoming self-aware means that you know who you are even during the hardest times of your life. When a person is self-aware, they are able to accept every aspect of themselves and take ownership of the things they have done.

Some of the things you can do to become self-aware are mentioned under how t get to know yourself.

 Self-awareness allows for people to stick to their truth without giving to the people who do not share the same belief. Self-awareness is one of the most important steps in authentic living.

Self-awareness is not about anyone else it is 100 percent about you and your relationship with yourself.

Reevaluate your values to fit your current life.

So you’ve done all this work to get to know who you are deep within but you are holding onto the values you had before you found yourself.

 Most of the values we as people develop come from those who are responsible for our upbringing.

We inherit the values that were given to us while growing up. Most of us o not question why we value the things we do.

Ask anyone who has not done the work to learn and understand themselves why they hold those values and I can guarantee the answer they will give is because that how they were raised. 

 As we become adults, those values no longer resonate with the chosen lifestyle.

 During this re-evaluation period, you have to sit with yourself to really see what is still aligned and what is not.

 No, this process will not be easy but it is much needed to be authentic.

 Some of the beliefs that you may be holding on to will keep you from being your authentic self because there will continue to be fear of judgment. 

Let go of the weight of worry and truly be free.

Is your mind open enough to truly be free?

A third step in living an authentic life is to have an open mind. 

What can having an open mind do for me?

 Having an open mind will allow you to see things from a fresh perspective.

Having an open mind creates space for freedom.

 It allows people to truly follow their way of thinking and see things from other people’s perspectives.

 Being open-minded prevents the boundaries that are often times self-imposed because they do not fit into a neat little box.

The comfort zone is where people are comfortable but nothing ever gets done. 

There is no room in authentic living for comfort zones because they don’t allow people to flourish.

Stop being comfortable and start actually living.

These are not the only ways a person can live an authentic life but these are the steps that will lay the groundwork for a successful journey to finding your life purpose.

 Life is a puzzle and we all have to work to pug the pieces together.

 As long as people are true to who they genuinely are then it becomes easier for the pieces to fit. 

Knowing who you truly are is the biggest and most important piece to the puzzle.     

Try the steps out and feel free to share your experience whether just starting out or an authentic living veteran.