My clients say they want to be their authentic selves. Which means being recognised, accepted and heard just the way they are.
Yet often, being able to share authentic expression is challenging. We feel vulnerable and want to avoid judgement and rejection. So instead of letting our unique light shine and illuminate the world, we erect barriers. We hold back.
In my coaching practice, I’ve observed 2 coping strategies: (1) appear as someone who will be more accepted, or (2) share fragments of their unique selves.
Neither of these 2 options is being true to oneself.
The frustration of not being heard and seen sets in. Noticing the success of peers who connect more effectively. Competitors or colleagues who sound louder and shine brighter. Eventually, being confident becomes an issue.
How can you build a bridge with someone when your own beingness is hidden? By serving a watered-down essence of who we truly are, crafting a “work”-persona, a wife-persona, a mother-persona…