10 Ways to Become a More Authentic Person

Dec 9, 2022

Authentic people win in life and in love. Why? It is simple: the energy which would have been wasted in pretending to be someone else has been channeled into something more productive. True authenticity is shown not by mere talk or words but by action. Want to become a more authentic person or struggling a bit with self-image? This article is for you.

Here are 10 ways to become a more authentic person.

1. Take Care of Your Body

One too many people think they can get away with neglecting their bodies. How naïve they are. One of the most important things to realize as you journey through becoming a more authentic person is this: a healthy body will yield a healthy mind more often than not.

If you want to see marked improvements in every facet of your life, then begin to take care of your body. Stay hydrated. Work out, and lose any excess weight you have. Sleep on time. Losing sleep is going to make you stressed out and, in turn, affect your mind and self-image.

2. Social Media Might Be Harming You

It may or may not be clear to you at this point, but social media really is harming you. This is especially true if you are addicted to swiping, liking, and commenting.

While social media resembles the real world in a number of ways, it is essentially not the same thing.

With most social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, people buy into a central idea of what beauty and poise should be.

For example, a group of people on social media may say only pointed noses look great. They may also say that one is only successful if he makes so and so amount of money a week.

What do you think the effect of this will be on someone who doesn’t have a sense of self-worth yet?

I will tell you what: they will start to change themselves to fit into the accepted standard of beauty and success.

Leave social media for a while if you are trying to be authentic.

3. Be Fine with Being Disliked

Most inauthentic people suffer the same problem: the fear of being disliked.

This makes it hard for them to say no to anything, even things that are directly harmful.

That is a sad way to live, isn’t it? Oh, it is, and I don’t want that for you. So, by all means, learn to accept yourself even when no one wants to accept you. Also, learn to say no.

Being fine with being disliked may be one of the hardest things you ever have to do—but it is doable. It brings you much self-respect.

4. Have a Sense of Self-Worth

You can neither have the ability to say no nor be authentic if you don’t have a sense of self-worth or take good care of yourself.

You are not the body you see. Well, a part of you is: but there is a part of you that you should not neglect: your mind.

You must develop a loving, supportive relationship with it. Don’t just let it wander. Extend a hand and control your thoughts. Especially thoughts about yourself.

Only accept healthy thoughts that help you grow into a better person, not ones that make you afraid and fearful.

Everyone who must be authentic must learn to be mindful. In the coming weeks, we will put up an article on how to practice mindfulness. Let us know if you would love to read that.

5. Don’t Badmouth Anyone

We humans usually live by projecting. If you truly observe your relationship with people, and from an unbiased point of view, you will find that most of what you see is just a projection of yourself on another person.

When you are in the habit of badmouthing people, you are basically just projecting the bad things you feel about yourself onto them.

But remember, you are only allowed to feel good about yourself. If not always, as this is practically impossible, then most of the time.

Read: How to Be Classy: 10 Top Traits of a Classy Woman

6. Read Books / Get a Hobby

Books are a great way to engage your mind. Most of my growing happened soon after or just as I was reading a book.

Read nonfiction accounts of successes. There are a number of authors who once struggled with being authentic and found a way to succeed.

At the end of this post, I have recommended a number of books that should help you. Add them to your library and be on your way to a more authentic life.

7. Re-evaluate Your Relationships

And not just romantic ones but platonic friendships as well. What impact do the people who are close to you have on you?

Do they encourage you to be your true self? Do you feel like a bird in a cage whenever they come around?

Truthfully answer these two questions. If your answer to the first question is no and yes, to the second, it is time to let that friendship go. It is putting you in a cage, and one cannot be authentic in a cage.

If your answer to the first question is yes, but no to the second, there might be a glint of hope that the relationship will get better if you both find ways to talk about how you feel.

8. Do Not Practice an Eye for an Eye or Gold for Gold

This is to say, “Do not do anything just so you can be treated a certain way. Do everything you do because you want to do it.”

Try this for a week and see how happy you become.

Read: 10 Signs The Guy You’re Dating Is A Player In Disguise

9. Let Life Happen

One of the hardest ways to become more authentic is to let life happen. By default, we are afraid of hurt, whether physical or mental. And so often, we let this fear keep us from allowing life to happen.

We resist life, tweaking our personalities and our belief systems.

For example, someone who used to be laughed at a lot as a child may develop an unhealthy way of dealing with his fear of being laughed at.

This often includes him being mean, unfriendly, or completely detached from the world.

This attitude is usually a sharp contrast to what he used to be as a child.

Stop holding on to life; stop trying to predict the future; stop trying to protect yourself from visualized harm.

Let life happen. Good or bad, you will turn out to be better.