Authenticity with Purpose
There’s a version of authenticity that’s accidental.
The kind that happens when life cracks you open and whatever spills out is raw and real and unfiltered- but also a little unhinged. Honest, yes. But not always intentional. More emotional confetti cannon than conscious choice.
And then there’s another kind.
Authenticity on purpose.
The kind you choose- again and again- even when it would be easier to curate, smooth the edges, keep the peace, or quietly shapeshift into who you think you’re supposed to be.
(We’ve all done that. No shame. But also… no thanks.)
Authenticity Isn’t Just “Being Yourself”
We talk about authenticity like it’s passive. Like you just wake up one day, toss on a linen jumpsuit, start journaling, and boom- authentic. But real authenticity- the kind that actually changes how you live- requires decisions.
Sometimes uncomfortable ones.
It asks:
What do I value enough to build around?
What am I willing to keep showing up for when no one is clapping-or even watching?
What parts of myself am I choosing to stand behind, not just express on a particularly brave Tuesday?
Because expression is easy.
Consistency is where things get spicy.
The Quiet Work No One Sees (a.k.a. The Unsexy Part)
Most of the meaningful things in my life right now weren’t born from lightning bolts of inspiration.
They came from:
early mornings
half-finished drafts
re-reading the same paragraph seventeen times
choosing curiosity over defensiveness staying with discomfort instead of dramatically reinventing my entire life at midnight (Tempting, though.)
They came from asking, “Does this feel true?”
And then asking the more inconvenient follow-up:
“Okay… am I actually willing to live like it’s true?”
That’s where purpose shows up- clipboard in hand.
Purpose Changes the Shape of Authenticity
When authenticity has purpose, it stops being performative.
It’s no longer about:
proving anything
explaining yourself to the wrong people
shouting “THIS IS WHO I AM” into the void
It becomes about alignment.
Your inner life and your outer life start talking to each other.
They don’t always agree- but at least they’re in the same conversation.
And funny enough, when that happens, you suddenly need far fewer disclaimers.
When You’re Misunderstood Anyway (Because Of Course You Will Be)
Here’s the plot twist no one warns you about:
You can live with intention, clarity, and integrity- and still be misunderstood.
People will project.
They’ll simplify.
They’ll occasionally invent a version of you that feels… creative.
But when you’ve been steadily building something real- when your life has receipts— those misunderstandings don’t knock the wind out of you.
They just kind of… float by.
Because you’re no longer auditioning. You’re already engaged in the work of being true.
Authenticity Is a Practice, Not a Personality Trait
I don’t think authenticity is something you either are or aren’t.
I think it’s something you practice.
Daily.
Imperfectly.
With humor.
With self-trust.
With the occasional eye roll at your own growth process.
And sometimes- with a quiet laugh- when life reveals that what you’ve been building all along was never about convincing anyone of anything.
It was about creating something that could stand on its own.
On Purpose
If there’s a thread running through my work, my writing, and the way I’m choosing to live right now, it’s this:
Not just authenticity.
Authenticity- with intention.
With direction.
With purpose.
The kind that doesn’t require a performance.
The kind that doesn’t collapse under scrutiny.
The kind that feels like home when you finally stop trying to decorate it for someone else.
And honestly?
That feels pretty damn good.
