Many of us have visions of a better tomorrow, a future where we will exercise more, find a career that we actually love, make more money or have more free time, and so forth.

Yet more often than not, most of us are struggle to work out what we actually want, what really interests us and what makes us feel alive.

A large part of this pursuit of happiness is accepting who we are in the first place. Not offering up a false façade to the world but being authentically ourselves - free from comparison or changing our ideals and beliefs to fit in or to please others.

But how do we create and live a more authentic life?

By creating change & doing the things that are difficult or challenging.

It’s important for us to acknowledge, tell the truth about, and take responsibility (with compassion) for these external and internal factors of our lives and personalities that make it difficult or scary for us to live in a way that is authentic.

By confronting these things directly, owning them, and making peace with them, we’re able to move beyond what normally stops us from being who we truly are.

Pick something big or small to do today that will scare you. Ask someone for something, get up and speak in front of a group, make a phone call you’ve been putting off, take a risk, or do anything else that you know will take some real courage on your part.

By doing that which is difficult and challenging you are creating change by putting authenticity in action. Being your true self requires you to have a willingness to admit, own, express, communicate, and take action in the face of your fears.

Allowing you to be bold and going for it - even if your scared.

By being self aware.

Authenticity starts when you set the intention to be genuine. Then, there must be an awareness of what that looks and feels like, and a willingness to act in accordance with your genuine nature even when it feels vulnerable.

When you live with this kind of self-awareness, decisions are easier because you are free to choose things that move you closer to your values.

You are able to stand in the presence of your imperfections, because you can accept your humanity. You can also embrace your talents and abilities.

Authenticity is hard because sometimes we want to hide our own less-than-perfect traits from ourselves. Being authentic require you to make unpopular decisions or to acknowledge aspects of yourself that you’d rather hide away, which allows you to live a more open, honest, and engaged life.

This seemingly intangible quality of authenticity, then, has very tangible outcomes. As an authentic individual you will be more resilient, purposeful in your choices and more likely to follow through on your goals.

If, instead, you find yourself feeling fragmented, unhappy, bored, stressed, stuck, or uninspired, it could be a sign that you aren’t acting authentically.

And that is something you can change right now.

By being courageous.

It takes courage to create the life you desire. As you explore and honour what you ultimately want for yourself, you’ll find that means breaking some old habits and making life changes. Those changes may include walking away from several things that no longer support your growth and your goals.

Being authentic takes courage. When we drop our masks, we risk being seen. When we speak our truth, others may disagree. When we stand by our values, we may end up standing alone. But we have to have the courage to be honest, present, vulnerable, and accountable anyway.

This is where the real opportunity for growth lies. It takes courage and strength of character to create the life you want even if others are judging your actions.

Finding the courage to be who you really are in all areas of your life is a great way to help you realise your true potential and, consequently, find the fulfilment and peace.

It might not happen overnight, but you can get there.

By living your truth.

Being authentic means being yourself every day. While it may seem easier to stay in your comfort zone, finding the courage to be who you really are in all areas of your life will help you realise your true potential and, consequently, make the changes necessary to find fulfilment and peace.

To get to your true self, you may have to examine dreams you have forgotten, fears that are holding you back, or beliefs that are not your own. When you live by who you really are, you find not only freedom and well-being, but the joy of giving your talents to the world.

Finding the truth about who you really are and what is important to you takes honesty, awareness and some time. But the path to real happiness is not paved with fame and material wealth.

It exists every day, in the big decisions and small choices you make, in the pursuit of your authentic self.

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