With technology making communication easier and trends spreading faster, authenticity is much less common these days.
You have people who hide behind a well-curated online persona, and then you have those whose personality traits, style, goals, and even friends change based on what’s currently going viral.
But if you are a truly authentic person, this is rarely the case.
An authentic person is someone everyone can trust.
They may not be able to solve your problems, but you can bet they won’t leave when the going gets tough. They are able to be true to themselves, regardless of trends.
Are you an authentic person?
Here are some signs that come naturally with genuinely authentic people.
1. You don’t live to please everyone
Authentic people know that not everyone is going to like them, so why live trying to please everyone?
No matter what you do, there is always someone rooting for you.
Instead of trying to change his mind, focus on your own happiness instead of trying to gain approval.
You live your life as you decide, not what society or anyone else decides is the right way.
You live for yourself, and those who really want to be in your life will understand your position.
You’re bound to ruffle some feathers, but you don’t want to lose sleep over it.
What matters is that you live a life that truly makes you happy.
2. You don’t always look or do your best
…And that’s okay.
We all have our bad days and there will be days when you slip up from being your best self.
You’re only human, so you don’t want to pretend you’re always on your A-game when it’s just not true.
This means making mistakes, looking weak, or just not feeling in the mood to act like everything is perfect.
Many people create this public persona that is always at their best—so strong, so perfect—but you don’t put any energy into keeping up appearances and conforming to society’s standards.
You are confident in yourself and your own self-worth that you don’t need to maintain a perfect persona in front of everyone 24/7.
3. You are a realist
Authentic people realize that the world is not always black and white, and that affects how you see your reality.
You are not a cynic, but you are not a naive optimist. You know what works and what doesn’t.
You learn to trust people, but you are wary of anyone who might try to take advantage of your kindness.
As an authentic person, you recognize the world for what it is.
You know how to face the harsh realities of life that many refuse to acknowledge, and that gives you the advantage of knowing how to move forward, even in bad times.
4. You are not easily influenced by material things
You’re not the type to buy the latest iPhone when your current phone still works.
You focus less on the price tag or popularity of a brand and more on the quality of the product you receive.
Some people may call you stingy, but you and other authentic individuals call yourselves practical.
There’s nothing wrong with splurging every now and then, especially when it’s earned.
But when you do, you won’t be swayed by marketing tactics or trends.
You don’t base your worth on the brands you wear, nor do you judge other people based on what they have or don’t have.
5. You are unapologetic about your thoughts and beliefs
You’re not going to say something just because that’s what people around you are saying.
You form your own thoughts and opinions.
That is not to say that you are a contrarian for the sake of being a contrarian.
Rather, your faith is not dependent on a crowd, but the faith you form based on how you perceive the world.
And while you’re open to changing your beliefs as more facts come to light, you’re not going to apologize for the views you hold at any point.
There will always be those with differing opinions.
You are open to conversations about your conflicting views, but they will not hear excuses from you, nor can they try to influence your position.
6. You avoid drama at all costs
Your inner circle consists of people you can trust.
Authentic people enjoy the company of those who are simply themselves, regardless of society’s expectations, social status, and other arbitrary standards.
You’re honest, even to the point where things can get argumentative, but you’re all capable and mature enough to hash it out.
Authentic people don’t feel comfortable around people who constantly hide behind a mask.
You avoid people who gossip because you’re not sure what they might be telling others about you behind your back.
For authentic people, a simple drama-free life is always the best way to go.
7. You are emotionally mature
You are in control of your emotions, both publicly and privately.
Disagreements rarely turn into shouting matches for authentic people, because a good argument and a clear voice speak volumes for them.
No matter how difficult your situation is, you know how to put your emotions aside and exercise good judgment.
That’s not to say that authentic people can be cold and robotic.
You know the right time to show emotions and when to put emotions aside.
This means that people see you as a sincere person. When you show emotion, people can trust that it’s the real deal and not some hidden agenda.
8. You celebrate other people’s success
I heard somewhere on the internet that the best way to know if your friends are the real deal is during your success.
When you’re down, it’s easy for anyone to feel sorry for your position and be sympathetic and be your shoulder to cry on.
But when you achieve your goals and achieve success, the truly authentic people around you will truly celebrate.
Authentic people are not threatened by those who succeed.
They know that everyone eventually excels, and they are happy enough to wait for their chance to succeed.
You lift people up whenever you can for a chance to succeed, and then you congratulate them without taking any of the credit.
Your value is not diminished when others shine, and you know it.
9. You listen to others
Being authentic means having substance, and you can’t do this if you’re trapped in your own bubble.
In a conversation, there are those who wait to speak, and there are those who genuinely listen and respond.
You can’t have meaningful conversations if you have poor listening skills, so you make a habit of listening and continuing the conversation based on what others say.
This can be one of many reasons why people like to talk to you. You make people feel seen and heard.
You never come off as someone who likes to hear themselves talk, and you know just the right questions to ask.
10. You have healthy relationships
Authentic people enter different types of relationships with their hearts on their sleeves – no drama or double meanings necessary.
Although you’re not the type to rush into a budding romance, you hate the cozy games that someone plays and are very honest with your feelings.
Although you can keep your emotions in check, you’re not the type to pretend to be cool and reserved when you’re not.
You love generously, and you give love to those who deserve it. But most importantly, you also know how to love yourself and choose your own happiness.
11. You think differently
Have you ever been in a situation where someone asks a crowd a subjective question and you tend to have a completely different answer than everyone else?
That’s because authentic people think on their own wavelength.
This means not following the normal thought process and finding different ways of seeing things.
You don’t match the same ideas, which allows you to think outside the box.
Apart from social settings, this gives you an advantage in many areas.
Your creativity has helped you create different solutions that not many people would normally consider.
You see things that other people don’t see, even if it’s easy to see.
This may mean you bounce ideas off of others every now and then, but your creativity provides a lot of insight to collaborate and create better ideas.
12. You choose your battles
You know that not every argument has to be won, nor are any lost relationships worth losing sleep over.
You value your mental health, integrity, safety and everything else that makes you who you are.
This means you don’t have to stand on the bait or get involved in drama or chaos started by someone else.
Your clarity of mind allows you to choose your battles wisely.
You know when it’s not worth the time or energy to get into, so it’s much easier to walk away.
You don’t have to apologize or explain yourself to anyone, and it shows.
You’re not going to make a mountain out of a molehill, nor do you want to blow things out of proportion, especially when it doesn’t add much value to your life.
Did you like my article? Like me on Facebook to see more articles like this in your feed.