# 11 being authentic (5/29/23)

One of the podcasts I regularly listen to "Inner Work: A Spiritual Growth Podcast" by Josephine Hardman, PhD just dropped a 30-day authenticity challenge. For day one she asks listeners to reflect on the prompt: "what does being authentic mean to you?". 

To me, being authentic means to not self-abandon. It has less to do with being 100% open and vulnerable all of the time, which feels unsafe around many people and environments, and more to do with remaining as present and grounded as I possibly can in any given moment. Authenticity is intimately connected to energy, vibration, and frequency. Embracing the full spectrum of what this human experience has to offer. Leaning into multidimensionality. 

Power comes to mind as well, especially given the paradigm that we are living in. For instance, I think about the complexity surrounding our ability as beings to even claim joy, wholeness, and freedom while living under so many toxic systems. 

To me, to not self-abandon means to ensure I check in with my Self on a regular basis through things like journaling, meditation, sitting in silence, and walks in nature. It means to affirm my inner child, teen, and young adult when I sense her stirring impatiently before she gets to the point of having to kick, scream, and shout, by whispering internally, little one, I am here, and I am not going anywhere. I aim to please, what do you need? In short, often the answer is to enforce boundaries, to say "no" more, or to go out and do something exciting/risky/fun. 

 until next time, with Love, the DLB