Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing…

Real_ authenticWhat you see is what you get! We have heard that statement many times but what  does it mean to be real. Do most of us try to fit in and adjust to present company? How many of us walk into a room and care what people are thinking? Do we realize what a strain caring about what people think can place on oneself both mentally and physically, just because we are trying to live up to a certain image or ideal. Some say to be real is to be authentic. But you can hear the word authentic being thrown around so much that we even see it written on a bag of potato chips. Is being real more about how your core self is reflected in what you say and do? Psychologists sayreal_challengers that being real is accepting both your strengths and weaknesses and not feeling you have to hide them from the world around you. People who are real or genuine seem to feel better about themselves and often show great resilience when they are faced with challenges. Just because someone “tells it like it is” does not mean they are being real. It is not about being accusatory or shaming someone because one may feel they are being honest. Authentic is not about real_friendshipbeing obnoxious. True authenticity is more about how we feel deep inside and not how we feel about other people. Giving another person a chance to slowly expose their inner real self instead of prejudging them can lead to a long-lasting relationship. Taking a moment to breath and reflecting on what we are about to say and do can be a more fulfilling way of connecting with our inner self as well as with others. Kurt Vonnegut the famous author once said: “Practice any art–music, singing, dancing, acting, drawing, painting, sculpting, poetry, fiction, essays, reportage- no matter how well or badly, not for money or fame, but to experience becoming, to find out what is inside you, to make your soul grow.”