I remember being so sure of myself. So proud of the toxic behavior. So protective of the empty relationships. So sure that I was doing “IT” right.
Let me start from the beginning.
A daughter of an HR Bad Ass Mom and a Finance Wizard Dad, the life cards were in my favor.
Had a best friend- check
Had an amazing family-check
Went to the right schools- check
Earned good grades-check
Played sports- check
Accepted into multiple colleges- check
The list went on and on.
Check. Check. Check.
It took me a long time to understand that having everything checked off a list does not equate happiness, feeling purposeful or purpose filled.
Most of all, “The List” did not reflect who I truly longed to be.
Society is funny. From a young age we are programmed to believe that success, happiness, and love looks a certain way and requires a certain list…but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Here are the top 3 things I’ve learned about being true to me and what has evolved into being Authentic AF:
- Stop being dependent on the opinion of others. I am, who I am. Your approval is not needed. It’s not my job to convince people of my authenticity. Either they will see or it they won’t.
- Work on You, FOR YOU. I fell into a trap of working on myself for the sole purpose to be better for a relationship or be a better candidate of a job. The thing about working on yourself for other things or people, is that the needs of that relationship or job will be ever changing. I felt like a hamster on a wheel trying to stay current on the needs of others.
But working on myself…The fulfillment of being better for the love of myself…
That true contentment is achievable and palatable in ways only your heart can feel.
- Pretending to be Savage, won’t heal that hole in your heart. I was such a hard ass. If I am being honest, I still am in many ways (God is still working on me). However, one thing I know is that there is so much power in vulnerability. Pretending those moments of betrayal, moments of brokenness, moments of pain do not affect me; only rob me of opportunity to stretch in ways that I needed to feel in order to truly hear. I only began to reconcile my heart when I was honest enough to admit that I was hurting.
I am, who I am. I am doing the work for me. I am brave enough to sit in the hurt in order to heal.
~And that’s the Honest “T”
#AuthenticAF