A is for Authentic

au·then·tic

real or genuine : not copied or false, true and accurate

Being authentic is hard for some people, but it comes so easy for me.  I am a 48 year old witchy woman who loves Eeyore and Pooh and I'm not ashamed to admit it.  I'm not afraid to be who I am, I let my freak flag fly in all its glory and then some.  I get made fun of a lot for wearing hot pink and tye dye (sometimes in the same shirt).  I don't let this get me down.  

I try to be true to who I am no matter what.  I am a pushover.  I am easy to please.  I am a psycho when I'm at the end of my rope, I am a pitt bull with a bone when something matters.  I am your best friend as long as I'm treated right.  I do my best to not play around with drama and games because they aren't true to my spirit.  I am neurotic at times, but I work within my issues and so do those who are in my small circle.

I can spot someone who is not their authentic self from a mile away and I do my best to not allow this sort of person into my circle.  There is nothing worse to me than spending time with someone who is trying to be something they're not for whatever the reason.  

Through the fast paced hustle and bustle of daily life it's easy to lose sight of your authentic self.  We're all competing in life on some level.  We have to focus on being authentic, and partnering with those who are also authentic for our own well being.  

We must find a way to let our children be authentic, let them be comfortable with who they are, and let us please stop trying to change everyone and everything to suit what the cultural norm is.  The norm is not authentic, the norm is what everyone else is doing, it may not work or be valid for each of our authentic selves.

Since I have accepted my authentic self and have worked hard on my self awareness I have grown so much as a person.  I still care way too much about what others might think or say about me, but you know what, I've come to accept this challenge as part of my authentic self as well.  There is nothing wrong with me wanting to be liked and accepted for who I am.  It only gets sideways if I let it matter too much and it starts to consume me, then I enter the neurotic zone and that is a dangerous place to live.  It's dark there, and there is no hot pink or tye dye.  I am better served by staying true to my authentic self and knowing that if someone doesn't accept me for who I am (this includes my neurotic tendencies and all the craziness that is me) well then that person doesn't deserve to have me in their circle.

You can love me or hate me but you will always be getting the truly authentic me for better or worse.