How often have you met someone who seemed perfectly lovely but left you walking away thinking ‘They seemed very nice but, I’m not sure, there’s something I can’t quite put my finger on’?

And how often do you ignore that feeling?

I can think of at least four occasions where I felt like that, ignored the feeling and it cost me dear. Twice it happened to me in business and in relationships  I ignored that niggling doubt because so many other people were happy to associate with the individuals involved, so I carried on and just hoped that the feeling would go away, thinking ‘it’s just me’.  The feeling didn’t go away and unfortunately, years afterwards I was proven right each time.  I write about the impact of ignoring my gut instinct and suppressing my authentic self in my books (available here).

I’ve learned the hard way that when you get that niggling doubt about someone, no matter how lovely they may appear, it is usually because they are not acting with integrity or they are not being their authentic selves. It could be said that they are hiding behind a mask.

Many of us wear masks in our daily life, we’re not the same person in work as we are at home and vice versa.  I’m not advocating that we should all go around wearing our heart on our sleeves and spewing forth all of our innermost thoughts or secrets to everyone we meet, unless of course you choose to do that and are entirely comfortable with doing so.  Most people are not and that’s perfectly fine.

The term ‘authenticity’ has been bandied around personal development and coaching circles for a long time and it is no longer as effective as it once was.  Many people now believe that if someone has to tell you they are being authentic, then the likelihood is, they are not.  Just as many people start a sentence with “no offence” when they’re about to say something offensive, when someone tells you they are authentic it is often because they are trying to convince themselves that it is true.

I could delve into all sorts of psychology and Neuro-Linguistic Programming constructs to discuss this further but that isn’t the purpose of this blog.

It is human nature to present ourselves slightly differently in different environments.  We wouldn’t turn up at the office in the same mindset as when we’re relaxing at home on a weekend.  That doesn’t mean we are being inauthentic it just shows that we are aware of the ‘rules of engagement’ in those different settings.

However, what happens if you’re not being authentic in a relationship? What happens if you’re not allowed to be your true self in a relationship?  What happens when you find yourself wearing a mask more often than not?

Suppressing your authenticity, or having to suppress your authenticity, for any length of time is detrimental to your mental health.  It leads to frustration, resentment and anger and in the worst instances can lead to depression and significant other mental health problems. Hiding your real self behind a mask for a prolonged period of time is also exhausting.

In the work I’ve done with survivors of domestic abuse, very often they have lived in an environment where their real authentic self has been suppressed for a significant length of time and it can take many months or years for them to rediscover their authentic self but when they do, the transformation is incredible.

They report feeling much happier and more content than they have for a long while, they have a confidence and inner strength that makes them seem taller.  With further work they go on to develop strong, healthy relationships where their authentic self is not only loved and cherished but allowed to flourish.

You don’t have to be a victim of domestic abuse to suppress your authenticity.  There can be many, many reasons for believing no-one wants to know your authentic self.

Whomever and whatever your authentic self truly is, embrace it, enjoy it and bring it to the fore.  The right partner will love you in all your authentic quirkiness and recognise that it’s what makes you, you.  This applies to all relationships, not just survivors of domestic abuse.

If you need help to rediscover your authentic self why not book a no obligation discovery call with me to see if I can help you?  You can book a call here:   https://www.notarehearsal.co.uk/apply

I look forward to speaking with you.