Throughout the years, the same messages have been circulating, telling us what happiness is and how to get it. But unfortunately, the majority of people are still unhappy.
In the next minute or two, I’m going to tell you why you’re not happy, and I want you to share your thoughts in the comments and tell me what you think.
From my 38 years of observation, I’ve come to the realization that people are lacking something in particular that’s keeping them from enjoying life as they should. And that something can be summed up into one word, ‘Authenticity’.
Authenticity: 1. the quality of being authentic; genuineness. 2. the quality of being real or true. (Source #1: Dictionary.com, Source #2: Cambridge Dictionary)
If you really think about it, being authentic is exactly the opposite of what the majority embrace these days. Everyone wants to be, look, and sound like someone else. But how can you truly enjoy yourself if you’re not being yourself? And how can you successfully walk your path wearing someone else’s shoes?
In the story of “David & Goliath”, before David went out to fight Goliath, King Saul armed David with his armor, helmet, and sword. But David realized that wearing Saul’s armor and helmet and using his weapon wasn’t going to work for him. So he took them off and instead went with what worked for him; a staff, a slingshot, and 5 smooth stones. In the end, David ended up defeating Goliath and winning the battle.
Question: How many battles have you fought wearing someone else’s armor? And how many unnecessary losses have you experienced simply because you ignored being your authentic self?
What would’ve happened if David had used Saul’s armor and weapon? I don’t know. But I do know that David understood what wouldn’t work for him in that battle, and he listened.
I didn’t want to just throw a bunch of encouraging words in this post about being yourself and loving who you are. Those are things we’ve all heard repeatedly. Instead, I wanted you to think of authenticity in the light of fighting battles. You can’t win the battles of your life wearing someone else’s armor and using someone else’s weapon. You have to figure out what works for you and embrace it. The more you embrace how you walk in life and what’s true to you, the more fulfilled you will be. Why? Because you’re walking as yourself. And there’s no way to be more true to yourself than that.
