New Year, New You? No thank you!

I’ve always been a big fan of ‘New’… anything new will do! The word conjures up images of beautifully wrapped gifts and shiny baubles. So you can imagine that when a New Year rolls in, I have grand expectations. What never appealed to me though, was the setting of resolutions that never stuck and the subtle social pressure of having to ‘reinvent’ myself year over year… I was invented 60 years ago – thank you very much! and I plan to continue being me…

That said, let’s put the ‘me’ in context. All human beings struggle with that existential question: Who am I really? and because we are so complex, so is the answer to that question.

It is said that children develop a sense of self as of the age of 2. In adolescence, we try to find ourselves, mostly through the eyes of our peers, family and social environments. Our view of who we are is influenced by how others perceive us. As adults, our roles define us, such as the role of parent for example, but we are also defined by our jobs, careers, our social status, our place in the community, etc. As we age and leave the workforce, that question: Who am I really? makes itself heard again, loud and strong. So, we look back at the past decades and the choices we’ve made, and how these choices have, in fact, defined us.

Cue in: Authenticity.

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines authenticity as being: True to one’s own personality, spirit, or character. Authenticity drives us throughout our lives, at every age. It guides our choices, dictates our behaviours and defines our relationship with ourselves and the world around us. When we live our lives in a way that is congruent with our authentic self, we live a happy and fulfilled life.

“Individuals considered authentic are those who strive to align their actions with their core values and beliefs with the hope of discovering, and then acting in sync with, their true selves”.*

HOW do I become more authentic? More ‘me’?

• Remember who you were before you started believing you had to be what was expected of you. It is said that we are at our most authentic in our childhood. Free of judgement of ourselves and free to be our best highest self.
• Trust your inner guide. Listen to your instincts and wisdom and let them guide your choices and decisions.
• Make yourself heard. Speak your positive truths and free yourself from the chains of self-imposed limits.
• Connect with others. Give yourself and others love and accept it in return. Know that you deserve it.
• Release your inner child. Let your spirit find joy in all the things that move you and amuse you. Free your ‘wild’.
• Always choose love. Love is the total of all positive emotions, why would we choose anything else?
• Marvel in the Life you were given. Commit to your authentic self, and wonder in the rewards it brings.