All the pieces of your umbrella are important and work best together! As you focus on authenticity skills this month, be sure to remember the other skills in your umbrella to get the most out of this great skill. Sometimes authenticity in the absence of cognitive flexibility, mindfulness or empathy (to name a few), can diminish its value.
Why? Helping our children find their authentic voice is very important for future wellbeing, but can’t be at the sacrifice of their adaptability.
Swearing off vegetables for the rest of your life because you aren’t a vegetable person is not authenticity at its best. Neither is making everyone around you march to your drum beat all the time. We are social creatures and finding the balance between being authentic and having strong, compassionate relationships is critical. Healthy authenticity is not a staunch belief that you are always right, closing your mind to all other opinions.
Authenticity work best when you keep an open mind, become a great listener, try many new things and keep your values always open to shifting based on new information.