Authenticity
Also known as being real, genuineness, individuality
The alignment between one’s inner experience and outer expression. Living in accordance with one’s values, feelings and truth rather than performing for others.
When met or unmet
When met
- Living true to yourself
- Inner and outer alignment
- No mask required
When unmet
- Living a lie
- Performing a false self
- Inner conflict between who you are and who you show
Feelings
When this need is unmet
Strained
Faux feelings that point here
Common expressions
I just want to be myself I’m tired of pretending This is the real me
Strategies
- Noticing when you are performing versus being genuine
- Practising honesty in low-stakes situations
- Spending time alone to reconnect with your own preferences and values
- Surrounding yourself with people who appreciate the real you
Recognition questions
- → Am I being myself or playing a role?
- → Do the people around me know who I really am?
- → Am I living according to my own values or someone else’s expectations?
Somatic markers
When met
- A sense of solidity and groundedness
- Breath flowing easily
- Feeling at home in your own skin
When unmet
- A sense of fragmentation or disconnection from self
- Feeling like a fraud or impostor
- Exhaustion from maintaining a false front
Shadow side
- Using authenticity as an excuse for insensitivity or cruelty
- Rigidity, refusing to adapt appropriately to different contexts
- Performative authenticity that becomes its own kind of mask
Cultural considerations
The authentic self is understood differently across cultures: as discovered, created, relational or contextual. Authenticity may mean consistency or appropriate adaptation.
Related needs
Often confused with
- Self-expression
Self-expression is about communicating outwards; authenticity is about inner-outer alignment regardless of expression.