10 Ways to Live As Your Most Authentic Self

By: Jennifer McDougall

There is a weight that is carried when you know you are not being true to yourself or living a life that is not aligned with what your core beliefs are. The cost of wearing a mask and hiding behind who you truly are can be not only exhausting, it will eventually backfire when tested costing you the good fortune of trust. No one appreciates being lied to. No one likes to be played a fool. No one wants to be loved for something they are not. No one wants to have to put up a front to impress other people. So why do it to yourself? Life is short.

Why live your life in disguise as something you’re not when you can be living a righteous story that can help inspire others while providing a positive contribution to a world in need of people who are pure and honest?

When you decide to be authentic in the way you carry yourself, present yourself, and share things about your life on social media, you will discover a newfound freedom, especially through self-expression. Before you begin living authentically, you must have the courage to get to know who you really are, what you truly believe in, your strengths and weaknesses, as well as understanding compassion and self-respect. Perhaps the best way to discover all of the above is to look at who you are when you are alone and take that with you no matter where you go or who you are with– never losing sight of your true colors.

Those who live authentically radiant a different glow. They shine in a different light. Their efforts are pure and their heart is one with great integrity. A person who chooses to live this way is also one who is respected as a confident risk taker who has little to no-self doubt because they truly believe in who they are as a person and not who the world tells them to be. Many of the characteristics of an authentic person are as follows:

• Mindful

• Compassionate

• Focused on their goals

• Good listeners

• Self-Reflective

• Consistent

• Honest

• Not materialistic

• Confident in their own skin

• Acknowledge their own faults

• Not out to please everyone

• Consciously aware of how they feel

• Value the art of giving to others

• Connected to their intuition

Living authentically will help you build trust not only with others but with yourself. This new lifestyle you’re creating will lead you to stable relationships, confident business negotiations, and clear boundaries when dealing with people who tend to push your buttons. Learning to be open and honest can be difficult and it certainly requires some practice but the pay off is well worth it! If you are ready to take the leap and begin living your life in most authentic way possible, here are 10 astonishing tips to help you transform your life from being in the dark to living purely in the light, fearlessly.

1. Spend time alone doing things you enjoy that are of course aligned with your sobriety and increase your awareness of who you are as a spiritual being. A few ideas of things to do alone include: meditating, swimming, reading, painting, writing, going for a therapeutic drive on outskirts of town where it is calm mellow, roam around a record store, collect moments at the beach, see a movie, volunteer in your local community, visit a bookstore, or go on a photo adventure where you take all kinds of fun photos to share on social media or to have printed and hung in your home.
2. Pay attention to people. Whether they are speaking to you, walking across a busy intersection, admiring a view they find intriguing, or even if they are consuming your energy and you need to limit the space they take up in your life. Pay attention to how they treat one another, what they tell you, what they confide in you about, and see if there is anything you can do to help them.
3. Be genuinely kind. Even if you don’t particularly like someone or agree with the choices they make, always revert back to kindness and keep your ego out of it.
4. Keep a journal and write in it daily. First thing in the morning or before going to sleep, are two of the best times to sit down and write out your thoughts, feelings, ideas, and experiences. Doing this will help you reflect on your ambitions, beliefs, traumas, adventures. Getting all these things down on paper is a wonderful form of therapy to help you heal from the past and blossom into your most authentic self.
5. Ask yourself more questions such as, “If I wasn’t afraid, what would I actually do or say?” Be in tune with how your internal and external pressures affect the way you act and the hesitation stopping you from getting out there and being the person you truly are– unafraid and full of courage.
6. Take long walks outdoors in nature. Walking can inspire mindfulness as you obverse animals, plants, and other people. This is also a great form of light exercise which is stimulating for the mind and releases endorphins to relieve stress.
7. Visit your family. Observe who you are when they are around. Our families remind us where we come from and even though they can be challenging to see eye to eye with and raise frustration at times, they help us understand love too.
8. Reflect back on want you wanted to be as a child. Take some time to think back on what you were like as a kid to better understand what shaped to be the person you wanted to be as an adult. This is always a good way to notice what might be missing from your life today.
9. Learn something new. Take up a class either online or at your local community college to challenge yourself in a subject matter you’re interested in.
10. Get involved in a workout routine that helps you express your authentic nature. Do you like to play basketball but afraid to get out there and shoot some hoops? Have you been wanting to try yoga but that afraid you’re not flexible enough? Are you anxious to try that hot new dance studio in town but scared you don’t have what it takes move with rhythm and grace? Now is your chance to exercise your truest passions while getting in shape and toning up.

“Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It’s about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen.” ― Brené Brown

How to Contact Passages Addiction Treatment Centers:

Call Passages Addiction Treatment Centers today if you or a loved one is battling an addiction to drugs and alcohol. Our admissions department is available 24/7 and can be reached directly by calling our toll-free number at (888) 397-0112. We look forward to speaking with you soon.

Passages, Where Addiction Ends and Life Begins™

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest! We love connecting with our audience.

Image via Unsplash