How to Live as Authentically You: A Path to Personal Fulfillment

📖 Categories

Join The Happery

Receive your exclusive subscriber-only 30% discount on every order Early access to all new releases Digest of most popular articles to support your goals *I get too many emails and find it overwhelming so you won't hear from us too often, I promise!

How to Live as Authentically You: A Path to Personal Fulfillment

comments

Understanding Authenticity and Integrity

Authenticity and integrity stand as pillars in the realm of personal values, shaping the way we navigate our lives. You want to live a life true to who you are, authentic to your beliefs and values. When we behave in ways or live a lifestyle that doesn't align with our authentic selves, that's when we become depressed, stressed, and anxious. Because it doesn't feel good to hide who you are. It won't make you happy. And it's exhausting!

But what exactly do we mean when we talk about authenticity and integrity? Let's break it down.

Authenticity is the quality of being true to oneself, embracing and expressing your genuine thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. It involves aligning your actions with your inner values and maintaining a sense of honesty in self-expression.

Integrity, on the other hand, is the adherence to moral and ethical principles. It involves consistency in actions, aligning behaviors with a set of guiding values, and possessing a strong sense of honesty and truthfulness. You don't have anything to feel ashamed about and can sleep well at night because you did the right thing, even if it was hard.

The Internal Discomfort of Misalignment

Living a life misaligned with your own authentic self and integrity can evoke a deep sense of dissonance. This misalignment can manifest in various ways, impacting both your mental and emotional well-being.

Here are some signs and examples to help you recognize what you're feeling and what it might be signalling.

Emotional Turmoil:

Signs: Feelings of inner conflict, guilt, or shame.
Example: Suppressing your true feelings to conform to others' expectations can lead to emotional turmoil, as you sacrifice authenticity for external acceptance.

Deteriorating Relationships:

Signs: Strained relationships, lack of trust.
Example: Betraying the trust of others through dishonesty or inconsistent actions erodes the foundation of relationships, hindering genuine connections.

Identity Crisis:

Signs: Feeling lost or disconnected from oneself.
Example: Living a life incongruent with your true values may lead to an identity crisis, where you struggle to recognize or connect with your authentic self.

Stagnation in Personal Growth:

Signs: Lack of fulfillment, a sense of stagnation.
Example: Ignoring personal values can hinder growth, as the pursuit of goals and aspirations may be detached from one's authentic desires.

Loss of Meaning and Purpose:

Signs: Feeling aimless or unfulfilled.
Example: Engaging in activities that do not align with your values may result in a sense of purposelessness, as the true meaning is lost in the absence of authenticity.

Now we know some ways your body may be telling you that you're not living in alignment with your personal values and integrity, so how can you tell if you're moving in the right direction, that you're living in alignment with your purpose and authentically as yourself?

Behaviors Demonstrating Authenticity and Integrity

Honest Communication:
Example: You share your thoughts and feelings openly, even if they are not popular, which demonstrates authenticity. Being straightforward and truthful fosters genuine connections with others.
Consistent Actions:
Example: Aligning your actions with your stated beliefs showcases integrity. People with this core value strive to maintain consistency between their words and deeds.
Self-Awareness:
Example: Embracing authenticity involves knowing and understanding oneself. Engaging in introspective practices, such as journaling or self-reflection, demonstrates a commitment to authenticity.
Standing Up for Your Beliefs:
Example: Having integrity means standing firm in the face of moral challenges. Advocating for what you believe in, even in challenging circumstances, reflects a commitment to your principles.
Respecting Others' Authenticity:
Example: Valuing and respecting the authenticity of others is a behavior linked to this core value. Encouraging open expression without judgment creates an environment of trust.

Embracing Authenticity and Integrity

Take some time to sit down and reflect on your life, your behavior, times you've felt ashamed. What caused it? It might be a sign that deep down something is important to you that you didn't realize.

What do you care about?

What makes you happy and unhappy?

What are the core values that this means you might hold? For example, if you witness someone being bullied but do nothing and let it happen, and you feel bad because of your inaction, perhaps social injustice is an important value to you. So, ensuring you treat others with kindness and respect, and support those being treated unfairly are ways that you can live authentically, with integrity, and a life true to your personal values.

By aligning your life with your core values, you pave the way for a more fulfilling and meaningful existence.

What are some core values that you have identified in yourself? Are you living in alignment with your values or do you need to make some adjustments? Let's talk about it in the comments.