This article originally appeared on MeetMindful. elephant is proud to share their content, and we think you’ll love them just as much as we do. Happy reading! ~ Ed.

What’s all the buzz about authenticity these days?

You seem to hear it everywhere, but is that because we live in a world where social media has the power to spread ideas like wildfire? Or could it be that we, as a culture, are hungry for that which is real, genuine, and authentic?

I believe we are craving it because we live in a world of disconnect, where we can hide behind profiles and status. There seems to be an instinct to go deeper, to look within ourselves, and to look deeper within each other. I believe that many of us are ready to be seen. We are ready to stop hiding the true magnificence of our being. If this resonates with you, you may wonder how to know if you’re being authentic.

Before you get real, you must know how you hide.

What is inauthenticity? Think of it as playing small, living out a dimmed-down version of you, or not being genuine. You are not expressing your true character, your essence. You may be highly aware that you’re not being authentic. Or you may not be conscious of the ways that you camouflage yourself.

You may know you pretend to be someone you’re not, or try to live out a life based on a drive to seek approval, love, or belonging. Maybe you’re following the dream career that was really your father’s dream, and not your own. Maybe you’re dating and have a knack for being too nice to seek approval and not drive a potential partner away. You might pick up the bill at dinner to look good, but the truth is you’re struggling with massive debt. Maybe you pretend to be interested in an activity that bores you to death just because you think it’s what you should be doing. You don’t speak up for your needs in a relationship. You may not even know what your own needs, desires, and interests are if inauthenticity is strong for you.

If you aren’t living in alignment with your truth, you are not being authentic.

Inauthenticity can make a person feel resentment, depression, boredom, anger, and a slew of other unhappy feelings. You may feel irritated by or jealous of someone who is living their life in more authentic ways. You may feel like you’ve just given up on your dreams of being who you want to be. You may feel like you’re missing out on something in life… 

…Follow us over to MeetMindful to finish reading Am I being authentic?

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Author: Chelli Pumphrey

Image: MahPadilha/Flickr

Editor: Katarina Tavčar; Caitlin Oriel