Dare To Be Authentic
Last night, I heard Platon, the photographer, speak as part of a lecture series. The man exudes the joy visible when one loves his work. He had the energy and the passion to relay touching and funny stories to accompany his photographs. But one statement he made was profound: in describing one of his first significant photo shoots, he questioned himself and asked "Do I dare to be authentic?". Fortunately, the answer was yes and he connects to his subjects by being honest and available through his authenticity.
What does authenticity look like? It is being true to yourself - -your values, your personality and your spirit. It is letting go of what we think we are supposed to be and embracing who we are. I am very direct and very confident. I am always kind, but the combination of direct and confident triggers many insecure people. But when I suppress my personality, I am ineffective. When I am not comfortable in a situation, I fall back and am mediocre. When I am authentic, my best comes through. I am creative, on point, and engaging. Authenticity frees my true spirit to shine.
Think about how you show up for your clients, employees, colleagues and to the world. Where are you not authentic? Where do you fade back for fear of taking the risk? Are you shrinking to make others feel better about themselves? Are you holding back for fear of rejection?
I've worked for some of the most prestigious, but conservative, companies in the USA. The cultures were suppressive, generating sterile personalities that conformed to perceived cultural requirements. Those of us who were "problems" were the ones who acted authentically. Today, we'd be hailed as disrupters, but in decades past, we were misfits to be tolerated, not celebrated. Over time, I slowly lost a part of me and was not true to myself. It was hell.
As a small business owner, it is easy to be boxed into acting how you think you are supposed to act. Signs of this are if you give away your services and time, over-focus on money, create toxic work cultures or not taking the action to make a big step forward. All are fear-based.
By not acting authentically, you are not giving your best. By holding back your talents and your spirit, you are not sharing fully. By not acting authentically, you are misaligned with your spirit. For any business owner to perform at peak performance, the business owner must be authentic. Embrace your uniqueness and focus it to your benefit. By acting as your authentic self, you will open up creativity and actions that are amazing!
For real, reach out to me through https://www.calendly.com/libby-coaching or [email protected] for a complementary call. I will show up authentically and we can see if we can work together.