Author: Lizette Volkwyn
Be Unique, be YOU, nobody can be YOU…and so we hear these quotes daily, but what does it really mean to Embrace your Authenticity? Many years ago I attended a conference and the theme was Be different and show up as YOU. For me, at that point in my life, it was a no-brainer of […]
Be Unique, be YOU, nobody can be YOU…and so we hear these quotes daily, but what does it really mean to Embrace your Authenticity?
Many years ago I attended a conference and the theme was Be different and show up as YOU. For me, at that point in my life, it was a no-brainer of course I am going to show up like me, being different, well that was the part I had difficulty grasping. I don’t want to stand out of the crowd, I want to fit in. I want to be accepted as conforming to the norm, and do what is acceptable according to society.
Fast forward years later, I managed to grasp the concept of Authenticity and what it really means to be YOU.
Authenticity is the quality of being genuine or real no additives added.
Easy enough? I think not. In a world where our lines of authenticity and society expectations are blurred it becomes more and more difficult to embrace your authenticity.
The question is now, how do we stay or embrace authenticity in a world begging for us to conform?
For me, it was more than just being authentic but rather a journey of self-exploration and embracing my authenticity whether I liked it or not.
Was it easy, no it wasn’t. It asked of me, to be totally honest, going raw, do a deep dive into my being and then love what I discovered.
So how did I do it? Here are a few tips on how to dig deep and embrace your authenticity.
Firstly, you need to strip all your labels right down to the core of you.
Labels? These as those generic words we so easily add to our presentation of ourselves, ie. Mom, Granny, Partner, Job title, Status, Education, etc. Take them all away and have a good look at what is left. Who are you? Who are you really? What do you like? What are your characteristics? What are your core values?
Understanding who you are enables you to start seeing your authenticity, your uniqueness, your power, the part that no one else can copy cat.
Secondly, Celebrate your strengths and nurture your weaknesses.
This is the exciting part…you might say I don’t really have strengths, but look again. Just because you are not building an empire or are at the top of your peer group does not mean you don’t have strengths. Your strength could lie in the fact that you are always lending an ear when your partner, friend, or colleague needs to vent. It could be your organizing skills when it comes to family get-togethers, or it could be that special gift to dish up the best meal for friends and family. Whatever it is, embrace it, this is what makes YOU.
As for your weaknesses, nurture them. This is not the time to bully yourself, run yourself to the ground and believe all the lies you are about to tell yourself. No, this is the time to nurture your weaknesses, whether it is impatience, shyness, a lack of confidence, or any other issue you might see as a weakness.
If it is impatience, practice meditation. Confidence, then engage with a confidence coach. The important part of all this is to ensure that whatever you see as a weakness, is to engage in methods to improve on them.
Thirdly, find your uniqueness.
In a world that shouts conformity, it is the authenticity that overrules the norm and allows for vulnerability and sincerity, to carry the day.
Our subconscious mind is the tattle tell of who we truly are. In my profession as Truth and Credibility consultant, our subconscious mind reveals what we are meant to say, which we have no control over. Whether through a mannerism, a twitch, or a way of speaking, when we are not true to who we really are, our body will go out of sync.
Authenticity asks of us to be vulnerable.
The scary part is that no one wants to open up, just to get hurt, rejected, or laughed at, but if we can show the world that we accept everyone around us in their own unique authentic way, we can teach others to do the same and before we know it the world has become a kinder place for all of us.
No one wants to show their cards, but here I am today, begging of you to go and take time out and celebrate your uniqueness.
Uniqueness could be in the way you make people laugh, the way organize in moments of chaos or it could be the way you care….whatever it is EMBRACE IT.
Three small steps, giant leaps to authenticity and confidence.
In closing, not every one of us is meant to steer the ship, but it requires all of us to bring our unique set of skills to this world to steer to happiness, vulnerability, and success.
Contact Us at WeSpeak Global and follow us on Facebook
The articles, video and images embedded on these pages are from various speakers and talent.
These remain the property of its owner and are not affiliated with or endorsed by WeSpeak Global.
My South Africa was not supposed to be a hit. Ingrid Jones contacted me late on a Sunday night to explain the concept and to urge me to do a ‘quick one’ for an inflight magazine. I did the piece in less than an hour and went to sleep. Next thing I heard was that […]
How to Craft Powerful Stories that Can Drive Culture Change There is an old adage that says: If you want to learn about a culture, listen to the stories. If you want to change a culture, change the stories. I had a first-hand experience with this very early on in my career. The MD […]
Here are 3 things I have now that a 6-figure salary couldn’t give me after I left my $500,000 a year job to start my own company, and I couldn’t be happier. On paper, everything about my career was amazing. I’d become the CEO of a large company at the age of 42. In less […]
Killing Fish – A freedivers take on spearfishing from Hanli Prinsloo who is an inspirational and motivational sustainability keynote speaker in Cape Town. ‘STRAIGHT SHOOTER’ (First published in DIVESITE Issue 3, 2011 with photographs by Roger Horrocks, Jean Marie Ghislain and Jean Treason – please read updated thoughts at bottom of article.) It was a choppy […]
Imagine attending an event where everything seems to fall into place effortlessly with a Skilled Master of Ceremonies. The transitions between segments are seamless, the audience is engaged and entertained, and the overall atmosphere is charged with energy and enthusiasm. What you may not realize is that behind this seemingly effortless experience is a skilled […]
Ultrafast Computers Are Coming: Laser Bursts Drive Fastest-Ever Logic Gates. Go Digital What Happened? We are on the cusp of creating ultrafast computers that can operate at speeds much faster than anything we have today. How? By using laser bursts to drive the fastest-ever logic gates. This breakthrough was made possible by clarifying the role […]
Empowering Innovators Mindset in today’s fast-paced technological landscape, organizations struggle to stay relevant and innovative. With technology rapidly evolving, traditional business models and strategies become obsolete. This inability to adapt and innovate leaves companies stagnant, eventually causing them to fall behind their competition. The key to survival in this highly competitive environment lies in fostering […]
Hey there, are you a white person wondering what Things You Can Do As An Ally for Black people right now? A lot of my white friends have been asking, you’re not alone. I’ve received several questions from friends wanting to do something so I thought I’d compile these all on one place. This is […]
No results available
Our Mission
© All rights reserved 2025. Created using VOXEL THEME