"Practicing authenticity can feel like a daunting choice - there's risk involved in putting your true self out into the world. But I believe there is even more risk in hiding yourself and your gifts. Our unexpressed ideas, opinions and contributions don't just go away. They are likely to fester and eat away at our own worthiness." Brene Brown.
I read this Brene Brown quote on a facebook post tonight and had to write about it, given my discussion last week on being in flow. That festering is absolutely what I experienced last year and have experienced so much throughout my life when I was denying my own truth. It can be a very hard, very daunting choice. Especially when you are plagued with self-doubt, or lack the courage you feel you need to put your true self out into the world. It can feel like a huge risk, one that is too big to take.
But I believe with all of my being that the risk to be ourselves is always, always worth it. Because it is the reason we are here. We are here to be our true selves. When you think about it, it seems utterly absurd that any of us would be placed on this earth to follow the crowd, or hide our gifts or deny what lies at the heart of us - our soul. We may have to go on a journey in order to find what lies at the heart of us or our authentic voice, and that authentic voice will change over time. It will feel daunting and there will be moments you will have to dig for every ounce of courage you have in order to remain authentic. It will often feel safer to stay in the known - the behaviours, the roles, the job, the relationship, the every day, even when you know it doesn't serve you. But when that choice is there to be made, make the choice to follow your authentic self. To not do so eventually catches up with you, as Brene explains, in the form of anxiety, rage, depression, addiction, blame, resentment and inexplicable grief. And I know first hand that existing in a life characterised by these emotions is not a life at all. And that is way more scary than any risk associated with shining your own light.
So shine on.
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