Be fearlessly authentic

Those one-inch squares of Dove dark chocolate call to me whenever I need to savor something delicious, that is, pretty often. As an added bonus to lovers of words, the wrappers contain meaningful quotes. I opened one recently that said, “Be fearlessly authentic.” I like that inspiration so much that the foil wrapper has now become a favorite bookmark. 

Think about what it actually means to be authentic. Synonyms are: true, reliable, dependable, faithful, trustworthy. 

To me, being authentic means doing right by others while at the same time living life in my own way. It means making decisions based on what makes me enjoy being alive. It’s about the kind of work or activity I spend my time doing. It’s about the style of clothing I wear and how I present myself to the world. It’s about the things I surround myself with in my home – things I consider beautiful, things that hold special memories, things that bring me comfort, things that say who I am. 

How about you? When you look in the mirror before leaving your house, does the image looking back at you seem like the real you? When you walk into your house, do you get the feeling that you are so glad to be home because you can comfortably be yourself? When you walk into your workplace, do you feel enthused about starting into your work and socializing with your co-workers? When working at your hobby or getting some recreation in your free time, do you feel that you are expressing your true self, doing something you love to do? All of these things are about living authentically. When your whole life is an expression of who you are, you live in the zone, you love being alive, you love being you. 

We can decide to live more authentically at any time. There is no statute of limitations based on age. However, the younger you begin the quest, the more years you have to live well. 

If you are one of the high school graduates of 2025, a young adult just beginning the adventure of your life, my wish for you is that you endeavor to be authentic, starting now. During elementary and high school, it’s important to fit in, to be a part of group-think, to go with the flow of the crowd. After high school, though, it’s your time to discover how amazing you are as a unique individual, to discover how very good it feels to make decisions based on your likes, goals and dreams for yourself. So, I say to you new graduates, Congratulations! and enjoy your personal journey to authenticity. 

For the rest of us, it’s never too late to get real.

Now ponder these: “Be yourself - not your idea of what you think somebody else’s idea of yourself should be.” – Henry David Thoreau 

“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” – Carl Jung 

“Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.” – Steve Jobs