Authenticity

"When you don't show up as who you are, people fall in love with who you're not. Then, when they find out who you are that's when they leave. Don't allow people to fall in love with who you're not. Show up fully present all the time."

~Iyanla Vanzant, Oprah's Lifeclass

The words authenticity, and authentic-self keep popping up in my head. Last night, just when I started to feel my ib profin pm's kicking in, and taking me to the place I fight--sleep--I was suddenly awakened! After thirty hand-written pages, I realized the novel had to change... there are certain places I need to go to heal with all my mommy issues, etc. I need to tell the most authentic, fictionalized story that I can. I frantically texted my best friend last night who was probably sleeping, but would definitely understand... 

I keep remembering this one instance where I really realized that people would like me for just being myself. It was the very first book club meeting I had ever attended, and it was at that particular person's home. Before I walked in, I turned to my friend who had talked me into joining, and said, "How should I act?" My best friend turned to me, and said, "Just be yourself!" You know sometimes you walk into certain situations, meeting new people, and you feel like you need to be all prim, and proper, which is totally contradictory to who I am... but I'll never forget that moment. Just be yourself... and now, in future situations, some of my friends get nervous because they never know what I am gonna say, or how I will react to meeting new people. But I must confess, each time I am my authentic-self, it seems like people relax more, and become who they truly are... nine times out of ten, I bring people out of their shells, and they really enjoy me being me... 

Always be your authentic-self~