Authenticity is something we all aspire to and thrive on.
But it doesn’t always come easily.
Miles Davis, was one of the greatest jazz musicians to ever lift a trumpet. His was an uncanny and lucid talent, with a self assurance that bordered impetuousness. It’s why I am so comforted by him having said, “Man, sometimes it takes a long time to sound like yourself”.
Even the wild virtuoso needed time to ‘find his voice’ as a musician.
Counterintuitively it seems, authenticity can be a lot of hard work.
Many would say that there should be nothing easier than ‘just being yourself’. But I’ve found that to be authentic is one of the more courageous and challenging things to do.
It asks us to tolerate discomfort, and to share our views and feelings in ways that might be unfamiliar, our outright discouraged in our immediate context.
The rewards of authenticity though, are to be believed. Greater authenticity leads to higher self worth, greater physical and mental health, stronger and more robust relationships, and over the long term, stronger career outcomes.
A gentle reminder - ease is to be celebrated when it is with us, but often the most valued things in life come from effort and deliberate action. The practices of authenticity might be hard work at first, but will inevitably lead to outcomes you will cherish.
TO CHASE THIS IDEA FURTHER, TAKE A LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES:
https://hbr.org/2015/01/the-authenticity-paradox
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/the-inconvenient-truth-about-your-authentic-self/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/valley-girl-brain/201908/when-do-you-really-become-yourself