Becoming Our Authentic Selves

Being authentic is the ability to be true to oneself. Living an authentic life requires the ability to be true to our own wants, needs and desires and not live our lives by the opinion of others. Being authentic is the ability to make self-honoring choices and stand firmly in who we are in our core. Being true to ourselves gives us the insight and compassion to see others for who they are, not who we expect them to be. It frees us up from the judgment of ourselves and others and it gives others the freedom to be themselves as well. -Victoria Reynolds 

On the way to work this morning we were listening to the radio and heard a commentary on the new NBA phenom named Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks. Lin, because he is a graduate of Harvard and of Asian descent from where few professional athletes have ever emerged, in addition to being relatively short in stature for an NBA player, has been previously overlooked. The commentator reflected on the tendencies for most individuals to place others in limited boxes and judge them based on restrictive criteria without looking deeply enough to see the true gifts that others have to offer. That tendency was why Lin was initially passed over by over 30 other NBA teams. The previously depleted Knicks are suddenly on an electrifying six game winning streak lead by Lin’s average of 22 points and six assists per game.

We all know what it feels like to be overlooked and undervalued because we too haven’t necessarily fit into the standard boxes that others have tried to put us in. The fact is that all of us have unique gifts and abilities that can’t necessarily be confined or measured. All of us want to be noticed for who we are as individuals capable of surprising people with our creativity, insights and achievements. We all have something of intrinsic value to offer whether people readily see it or not. We, too, like Jeremy Lin, have the potential in our own way, to electrify the world. and our hope is that all of us can discover how to become our authentic selves.