Authenticity — always the latest fashion
“I used to think I was the strangest person in the world but then I thought there are so many people in the world, there must be someone just like me who feels bizarre and flawed in the same ways I do. I would imagine her, and imagine that she must be out there thinking of me, too. Well, I hope that if you are out there and read this and know that, yes, it’s true I’m here, and I’m just as strange as you.”
- Frida Kahlo
At some point we have to understand what it is like not being defined by others. What is like taking responsibility over every aspect of our being, instead of passively embracing already existing norms. What it is like creating our own set of beliefs. What is like casting aside established concepts of wrongs and rights, ugly and beautiful, about who we are and who we should be. At some point we have to re-define ourselves; shatter the structure that is familiar, and risk stepping into something far more solid, built anew on firmer foundations. Pave our own path. Within ourselves there is a part that already knows what new will be like, there is a voice that’s longing to be heard, an essence that is most likely to oppose everything known so far as a reality, as sense of belonging.
At that point we might feel suffocated or isolated, so that other’s expectations resemble a prison — in realization that we will never truly be able to experience life as our own until we find courage to make a splash. Express ourselves. Experience ourselves — our needs, desires, specifications of our uniqueness. This harsh truth strips everything down to essential, with the realization that we have somewhere along the way, traded authenticity for comfort. This is also a part of our personal evolution, and we are meant to reach this point gradually, when we have gained enough experience and something to evaluate. After all, the common way is not necessarily the right way or the best.
During the first stage of our lives we define ourselves through our family relationships, but as soon as we step into adolescence our social persona is formed and understanding our place within society becomes the foundation of our inner security. It is only after comparing ourselves to everyone else, that we can finally start differentiating ourselves from the group. Our initial need for belonging fades away, overpowered by a greater need for self awareness and development. Therefore, we are bound to evolve into independence.
What is preventing us from authenticity other than our attachment aka. claim of possession over a specific version of reality? As usual what we try to control is controlling us. We live in a state of accumulating tension. There has to be a certain level of trust developed, as control always persists on fear for our safety, physical or emotional. Letting go requires profound emotional stability, but as soon as we let go, we feel revitalized, since we reclaim our integrity and power, we step into reality that is much more our own — as it is manifested through our energetic parameters, that are always updated accordingly with our ongoing evolutionary progress. The more power we reclaim for ourselves, the more authentic we dare to be — this comes with a sense of liberation, but is only lasting after consistent integration on a practical level. Something within us needs reassurance that it is OK to be who we are. Liberation itself is both exciting and terrifying simultaneously, and until we can feel fully established within our newfound freedom, there will still be that nagging voice trying to intimidate us with a “What if?”. Doubts can only be neutralized in time though experiential verification.
Your strength and authenticity will sometimes be more terrifying to others than they are even to you. You will face judgement and even rejection. But for those with no attachments this is unlikely an issue — they can allow conflict, disagreement, disapproval , in the authenticity that is all-inclusive, there is no fear related to social image and even separation from significant connections — that is not perceived as loss, since there was no ownership to begin with. What was once perceived as loss, now is perceived as process of purification.
Authenticity requires significant amount of trust in our internal guidance, but also in our path. Partly this means making amends with the past and having hope for the future.When we let go of the past it no longer directs our behavior, and neither does the future when we release attachments to any outcome. Still, authenticity is always now. If we can be authentic now, then past holds no resentment and future holds no worry, and vise versa — we can be authentic fearlessly, without need to control the way we will be perceived.
When we are seen as we are, we are vulnerable, but only from Ego’s standpoint. Soul is too vast to be narrowed down to a thought frame. Souls preference is always integrity and soulful connections. Quality. It is though these type of genuine connections that we discover new sense of belonging without ever having to compromise our values. When we allow ourselves to be seen, we allow everything to align accordingly to that that essence of which we are. We become point of reference and recognition to those that are alike in most natural way, we inspire and lead. We live more passionately and meaningfully. We create new concepts effortlessly. We provoke and make people question. We fertilize others creativity and confront their established norms. We set others free — leading by example. Not to mention, no one can truly accept us, before we fully accept ourselves.
Fully accepting ourselves and taking that responsibility, means never having to settle for an imposed lifestyle. There is no need to repress our emotions or drown in silence and shame. But, also it means taking responsibility for what we manifest in our lives, purging our energetic space and changing our programming consciously, to ensure that what we manifest aligns with where we truly want to be. It means not being consumed by victimized mentality and wondering why is that what we want, can’t find its way to us. Being authentic means having an open embrace welcoming experiences that align in our best interest.
