Old Message, New Messenger: Part 4

It has taken me a few months to get back to this blog series.  A friend posted a FaceBook status recently, providing motivation.  She talked about her displeasure in the overuse and positioning of the word ‘authentic’.  “Be your authentic self.”  We have heard Dr. Phil and Oprah use this quote, wrapping entire episodes of their television shows around the understanding and pursuit of that statement.  This concept is not new.  It is just a new tag phrase wrapped around teachings most of us experienced throughout our lives.

My parents would say, “he/she is true blue”, meaning that they could be counted on to be themselves – implying a trustworthy experience.  As they guided me through building my character, I would often be faced with dilemmas of conscience – learning to balance the line between right and wrong.  It was not unusual for them to remind me of a quote from Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet; “to thine own self be true”.

What does it all mean?  Whatever you call it, authenticity, true, genuine, sincere, real – or other synonyms to articulate the meaning; it is the lesson that is important.  We must know ourselves, who we really are and what our deepest values represent.  With that deep knowledge, we will move through life with a voice in our conscience keeping us on track, if we allow ourselves to exist, listen and act in harmony.  That doesn’t mean we shut down our ability to be open minded, learn new concepts or allow minor adjustments to our core beliefs.  We need to know ourselves, trust it and ensure our actions are reflective. 

Once we truly know who we are and what we believe, others will also and then are able to trust and rely on the package of qualities we each represent.  If we deny who we truly are, or behave in ways that are in direct conflict with our true self – we create a battle within that is destructive for all.  Martin Luther King said, “each of us is something of a schizophrenic personality, tragically divided against ourselves”.  I think he meant that there can be a sickness inside us when we allow a significant difference between who we are and what we do to live within us.

Whether a person uses buzz-words or more creative linguistics to express who they are, the important point is true expression of self.  If we stand alone in our belief, but are completely true in doing so, we never really stand alone.  We stand with our “authentic self” and all the people who helped shape us along the way.   The best gift we can give our children is the guidance to build their true self, and then the freedom to express it.