12 Ways To Find Out If Are You An Authentic Person

You Say You’re Authentic, But Are You Really???

I love authentic people. I love that every person has different idea, styles, quirks, history, mannerisms and personalities. That’s what makes people interesting to me.

I try my hardest to be an authentic person. True to who I feel I am. True to my morals, ethics and values. Down to earth, as much as possible.

I believe that’s why I have such a wide range of friends. People in my opinion can sense authenticity. I feel in most cases I can tell if someone is really being themselves, or if you’re just putting on a show to try and impress the world.

I call those ‘fake’ people. I’d rather spend time with a dirt poor crazy lady who is authentic, than a wanna be person who thinks they crap don’t stink because the have expensive hand bags, clothes, holidays or a fancy car.

It’s not that you can’t have those things, and still be authentic, but it’s a question of pushing personal propaganda.

👤 What is Personal Propaganda?

Bryce Ashlin-Mayo describes Propaganda in his book Age of Kings as “the intentional offering of information that has been edited or even skewed to offer a particular (and possibly false) viewing the world”.

Personal Propaganda can be representing yourself as someone who is not the true you.

For example representing having a perfect, flawless life. Everyone has roadblocks, hurdles and things to overcome. Because we’re all human. We all make mistakes, have to deal with disasters small and large. I have never met a person who has a perfectly flawless life.

Why does this matter?

Where personal propaganda becomes detrimental, in my opinion, is when the focus becomes consciously trying to belittle people or make them feel of lesser value, to boost your personal self-esteem. Its not nice, and honestly it holds you back from self-discovery and self-worth.

➡️Let’s determine your authenticity level, select all of these that accurately describe you:

1. Are you posting those pictures on social media because you want to make people jealous? Or you want them to envy you? Or you want to prove something to your audience?

2. Do you spend money out of your means to acquire possessions that make you appear more successful?

3. Are you spending more time concentrating on a social media persona then you are building real meaningful relationships with your spouse, children, close family and friends?

4. Do you pick your group of close friends based on looks, fitness level, wealth, social standing or stature?

5. Do you pass judgment on people before engaging in a conversation with them?

6. Do you feel lonely, or of lesser value when other people’s focus is not on you? And when this is the case, do you feel a desire to engage with them to re-establish that you should their focus?

7. Do you spend time gossiping about things that are happening in other people’s lives, that does not directly nor indirectly affect you?

8. Do you feel great joy by other people’s misfortunes or failures?

9. Do you feel that you need to embellish personal stories to make things appear better or more amazing then the event actually was?

10. Do you post your life experiences and photos to share joy, to share love and to add value to someone else’s life?

11. Do you feel secure in knowing that you are an amazing person, no matter how others might view you?

12. Are you the kind of person who desires to uplift others around you, as long as it’s not compromising self?

The determination…

I’m sure after reading those 12 questions, you already know which ones represent being authentic, and which do not.

1 – 9 are representative of less personal authenticity.

10 – 12 are representative of more personal authenticity.

This exercise is not to give a number to your authenticity level, but to give you a different perspective on how you might not be fulfilling your full potential by not being as true to yourself as you could be.

Greatness is in all of us, and though our gifts are different, they are still gifts. When we’re authentic, we honour ourselves and let our gifts lead the way to wonderful new discoveries. Trying to be the same as everyone else serves us no purpose.