Authenticity and Authentic are words that I hear often, but do you know what authentic really means? The dictionary defines authentic as “undisputed origin or authorship; genuine; accurate in representation of the facts; trustworthy; reliable.” Hmmm….that seems a little blah to me. When I think of  authentic I think of so much more. And then the other day I found this quote and it summed it up perfectly for me so I thought I’d share it with you.

Authenticity is a daily practice.

Choosing authenticity means: cultivating the Courage to be imperfect, to set boundaries, and to allow ourselves to be Vulnerable; exercising the Compassion that comes from knowing that we are all made of strength and struggle and connected to each other through a loving and resilient human spirit; nurturing the Connection and sense of belonging that can only happen when we let go of what we are supposed to be and embrace who we are.

Authenticity demands Wholehearted living and loving – even when it’s hard, even when we’re wrestling with the shame and fear of not being good enough, and especially when the joy is so intense that we’re afraid to let ourselves feel it.

Mindfully practicing authenticity during our most soul-searchin gstruggles is how we invite Grace, Joy, and Gratitude into our lives.

~ Brene Brown, PhD.

I really love this quote! There is so much in it to aspire to! There are a ton of great traits listed as part of being authentic (Courage, Vulnerability, Compassion, Connection, Whole-Heartedness). These are all traits I work hard every day to try and have myself. So what are your thoughts?  Is an authentic life something you aspire to?

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