Unapologetically Authentic
Every year I hold a Visioning workshop to help tune into the essence of the new year. During this year’s Visioning 2024 workshop, as we were sharing the three words that capture how we want to feel this year, one of the quietest participants, a tiny woman on screen, shared hers:
“Unapologetically authentic”. That was it. There was silence and a look of awe on everyone’s face. We could feel the power of those words. We could feel the essence of those words. And we could see the energy shift on the woman who spoke those words. Wow! Extraordinary!
Ever since that workshop those two words have stuck with me. Unapologetically authentic.
Every time I say, type and think them I have this reaction, an actual visceral feeling in my body – excitement, trepidation, awe, and a fiery energy. What if everyone showed up unapologetically authentic? What if I allowed myself to show up this way? What kind of transformation would happen? What kind of human evolution and quantum shift would happen?
What does “unapologetically authentic” even mean? I am sure you are creating the story of its meaning to you as you read this. To me it means not getting caught in someone else’s story about me, not worrying about what others think, not judging myself for what I should do or should not do, not allowing old beliefs to guide me, not comparing myself to others, not keeping quiet to keep the peace, not being a people pleaser. Wow what a list!
So that’s what it is not. But what IS it? It’s being gracious at all costs with myself and others, it’s speaking my Truth always, it’s leading with love, it’s feeling all of my feelings, it’s giving myself space for stillness, it’s saying yes and no only when I feel that way, it’s loving and accepting myself so fully that I don’t care what others think or say about me, it’s living in the moment, it’s trusting my Divine voice, it’s having correct boundaries with others, it’s wearing whatever I want (purple to an evening cocktail party), wearing bright glasses, posting videos first thing in the morning, not starting work until 10:00, it’s eating croissants and drinking coffee, it’s no filters except love (and that means I can be angry, sad, depressed, tired, all of it), no makeup or too much makeup, underwear or no underwear, the skies the limit!!
And that’s really the essence, no limits. If you are unapologetically authentic you are limitless.
You are embracing the essence that is you. You are courageous enough to be as big as you can be with your energy. You are gracious, loving and kind even in your darkest times, and you embrace the darkness. You get fiery and vocal when you feel it. You allow yourself to be vulnerable and to ask for help. You welcome in and receive love just as fully as you give.
It’s big. And so are you. And we all deserve to be unapologetically authentic! So buckle up buttercup!! It’s a whole new world.