An Electronic Mental Health Newsletter from Joel I. Kimmel, Ph.D., P.A. & Associates Volume 18, Number 6
This month’s e-Letter is about Being Authentic.
We live in a very polarized world that pressures us to conform to one point of view or another. Being our authentic selves is critical to achieving happiness and living a life with as little stress as possible. Self-discovery, fulfilling relationships, and personal achievements are pathways to living authentic lives filled with purpose.
On another note, we would like to congratulate our professional certified coach, Meredith Kimmel, PCC, for her recent workshop presentation at a major health organization in Portland Oregon. Meredith presented her Own Your Career workshop which she created.
It was so successfully received that she has been invited back to present the workshop in September for those who could not attend. To find out more about her speaking engagements and coaching programs, Meredith can be contacted at [email protected] or 954 655-7066.
Also, in our past e-Letters, we have asked for comments. The following is just one of the several comments we received from our last e-Letter, Healing From Emotional Pain:
Samuel writes:
I enjoyed reading your article and found it insightful. I do not feel like I am currently dealing with emotional pain but it helps to understand myself when I do and others when they do. It also helps to understand how to handle it.
Dr. Kimmel’s blog is about Mindful Eating and can be found here.
ARE YOU AUTHENTIC?
Nobody ever tells you how hard it is to be your authentic self. But in today’s world, being your true self is very, very difficult. There is so much pressure to conform to one side or another. There is constant encouragement to be part of a group, even if it’s just politically.
Role models today are often established by social media. Reinforced by television, movies, politicians, and media personalities, there is a great de-emphasis on being an individual and being oneself. Aren’t you tired of seeing the same TikTok videos but with different people doing the same thing?
Our true self is our core identity. It is who we really are and the values we live by. It is being free of society’s judgments and pressures and our own self-judgments and self-criticisms. It’s our real self without the personas or masks we present to the world.
Being authentic is actually very hard but worth it. It’s difficult because people will not agree with you, circumstances may operate against you, or you may have self-doubts. It’s easy just to give in but ultimately, you will pay the price emotionally.
Embracing authenticity is a journey of self-discovery and growth. It involves recognizing and accepting your thoughts, feelings, personality traits, and core values.
When you are authentic, you are honest and open with yourself and others. You accept yourself without caring what others think of you or trying to please them. You don’t compare yourself to others or try to win them over.
Being yourself can be a daunting yet empowering journey to achieving true happiness and leading a fulfilling life. It brings happiness, confidence, stress reduction, and good health. It is the antidote to burnout, exhaustion, and doubting oneself.
The bottom line is that authenticity lies in being true to who you are, and not conforming to others’ expectations. Doing so is a remarkable personal accomplishment.
ARE YOU AUTHENTIC?
Good, better, best. Never let it rest.
Until your good is better and your better is best…St. Jerome
WHAT TO KNOW!
- Our true self is our core sense of identity, who we are without group affiliations, self-judgments, and self-criticisms
- Being authentic is crucial to achieving happiness and living a fulfilling life
- Being yourself involves recognizing and accepting your true identity; it encompasses your thoughts, feelings, personality traits, and core values
- Knowledge of yourself is dynamic and will evolve over time based on what you learn, your experiences, your age, your failures, and your successes
- Authenticity can be very rewarding but also very difficult especially in times of great pressure to conform, to follow some influencer, or to belong to some group
- Knowing who you truly are allows you to maintain your values, withstand criticism from others, and be able to set and reach your goals
- Your true self is a continuous developmental process of growing, knowing, experiencing, learning, and standing up for oneself when challenged
- As you evolve to become a better version of yourself, expect to outgrow others who continue to relate to you as they did in the past
WHAT TO DO!
- Express your individuality
- Treat yourself as well as you would treat your best friend
- Live up to your values and do what you say you will do
- Speak up for the causes you believe in
- Reject societal pressure to conform to what is trendy or to some popular group/influencer
- Learn to accept both your positives and negatives traits
- Don’t compare yourself as you will find some quality where you think the other person is better
- Don’t be a people pleaser as your focus will be on others and not yourself
- Seek professional help if you are unable to overcome insecurities, cannot improve your self-esteem, or lack confidence in yourself
WE PRACTICE BOTH IN-OFFICE AND TELEHEALTH. WE CAN HELP!
Call us at 954 755-2885 or email us at [email protected]
As always, we are interested in your thoughts. If you would like to respond to this e-Letter, email your comments to [email protected] and we will publish them next month.
Till July…
The information provided in this electronic newsletter is not a substitute for professional treatment. It is the opinions of the writers and is provided solely for educational purposes. For mental health care, seek a qualified professional.
If you no longer wish to receive future e-Letter reminders, please send an email to [email protected]. requesting to be removed from this list.
If you find this information interesting or helpful, please forward this e-Letter to your contacts and friends.
Copyright © 2024 by Joel I. Kimmel, Ph.D. P.A. and Associates.
