Member-only story
Being Authentic
For most of My Life, I have been very judicious about showing any vulnerability. I learned at a very young age — not everyone can handle seeing you in your most wide-open state. Other Humans with their own wounds and agendas do not necessarily respond with kindness if we allow them to see All. The. Things. we hold close to our hearts.
But just because we aren’t 100 percent vulnerable doesn’t mean we can’t still be 100 percent authentic.
Being authentic is accepting yourself for who you are, and just as importantly, who you are not. Authenticity is not based on how porous you are to those around you. Authenticity is about inner knowing, not external forces.
There are very few Humans in My Life who would classify me as vulnerable. My friends and family are more likely to regale you with tales of my bad-assery. Being vulnerable might be a super power in the minds of the self-help crowd, but it has never worked very well for me.
Perhaps it is because I didn’t feel particularly safe after my mother died. Perhaps it is because I am simply incapable of completely setting down my shields. Perhaps it is because a very long time ago I forsook the title of victim and embraced my ability to survive.
