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I’m reading a book right now called The Lion Tracker’s Guide To Life. One of the ideas that has been on replay in my head all day today was the attempt to discover our authentic selves. That’s not a thought I haven’t had before, I just haven’t given much thought to it I guess. However, discovering our authentic self means that we must embrace the power of vulnerability and exhibit the greatest amount of courage on a daily basis to just simply be who we are. Not who we think others want us to be or who we want to be. No, we must be who we actually are. Brené Brown, a research professor at the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas in Austin, is one of the foremost and leading voices of vulnerability and authenticity. Her Ted Talks have been viewed millions of times and her New York Times Bestsellers include Braving the Wilderness, Dare To Lead, Atlas of the Heart and Daring Greatly. In this post, I want to dive in to a few of Brene Brown’s quotes, and others about authenticity and how we are called to live as our true selves.

9 Quotes To Get Us Started

Before we get into my favorite Brené Brown quotes, I want to start with a few other quotes that display the power of authenticity and vulnerability.  

1. “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

3. “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde

4. “Authenticity is the purest form of self-love.” – Victoria L. White

5. “Authenticity is the key to living a purposeful life.” – Lailah Gifty Akita

6. “Authenticity is magnetic. When you are truly yourself, you attract what is meant for you.” – Amy Leigh Mercree

7. “Authenticity is the courage to speak from the heart, to be sincere, and to act in ways that align with your true self.” – Steve Maraboli

8. “Authenticity requires vulnerability, transparency, and integrity.” – Janet Louise Stephenson

9. “Authenticity is the foundation of everything great. When you’re authentic, your heart and soul are in everything you do.” – Pat Flynn

10. “Authenticity is the daily practice of living in alignment with what is true for you, regardless of external expectations or pressures.” – Danielle LaPorte

Now, let’s dive into was Brené Brown has to say about authenticity!

“Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.”

We’ve all been there before. Whether high school, college, a new job, or even a new marriage. We want to put on our best face and hide all of the inadequacies we bring to the table. In the hope of true belonging, we forfeit the very thing that makes us unique, our true self. Rather than embracing the gifts of imperfection, we simply appease. We choose to put on a mask that hides our flaws, our messes and our sins. We don’t value our own worthiness enough to realize that everyone else is simply doing the same thing we are. 

Authenticity means that we embrace who we are. From our addictive belief system to our painful feelings of shame, we embrace every aspect of our being. In doing so, we allow others to see us for who we truly are, broken people in need of a Savior. 

2. “Authenticity is the alignment of head, mouth, heart, and feet – thinking, saying, feeling, and doing the same thing – consistently. This builds trust, and followers love leaders they can trust.”

Effective leadership can occur in the boardroom and at home. At the gym and at a party. On vacation and at kids baseball or soccer practice. When we make a personal commitment to authenticity around those we see the most, a trust develops because you have created a small safe space for them to be themselves. Our own stories are riddled with hurt, despair, pain, sorrow, regret and shame. So is everyone else’s story. As a human being, painful emotions are present in everyone. 

When we choose to align every aspect of our being, we encounter extraordinary moments that eliminate the greatest barriers to the deepest connection. 

3. “Authenticity is the key to your true power. When you’re authentic, you’re confident, you’re comfortable in your own skin, and you’re comfortable with other people.”

Have you ever met someone that just lights up a room with their personality? You know the person I’m talking about. They are kind of like a source of hope in that hopefully one day we can be like that? One of two things is occurring in these moments. Either this person is putting on a phenomenal front or they are simply living as they were created. They’ve embraced the profound impact that being comfortable in their own skin has. 

Having a high level of self-acceptance means that we are able to present ourselves as we are and let go of our fear of uncertainty. The fear that people may not like us. The fear that, as I’ve wondered so many times, we’re “weird” to other people. The bravest thing we can do is to allow other people to either embrace or reject us because of who we are. 

4. “Authenticity is the courage to be imperfect, vulnerable, and to set boundaries.”

Being vulnerable transforms our emotions. The emotional risk of showing our imperfections is a steep price to pay. However, it is absolutely worth it. So many people today view the daily lives of those they follow on social media and simply believe that’s how life is! We develop a core of shame because our imperfect selves can’t stack up to the lives of those we watch through a tiny screen. Comparing our lives with others is a complete waste of time. The most dangerous stories that we often here is how well things are seemingly going for everyone but us. 

5. “Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are. It’s the practice of risking vulnerability, choosing courage, and being honest.”

I freaking love this quote. In my own soul-searching struggles, I often find myself seeking greater clarity in who I actually am. Rather than a healthy striving for deep, meaningful connection with other people, I tend to numb emotions and simply compete or compare. At the end of the day, it’s a losing battle. Choosing to let go of who we think others want us to be frees us from relying on acceptance as our measure of belonging. Rather, we display the inner strength to embrace who we are, understanding we’re worthy of love and fight for the authentic relationships we all need. 

6. “Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It’s about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen.”

Having an open heart to any and all comers is difficult. The greatest measure of courage is to make the choice, daily, to be vulnerable and authentic. The only way to truly discover our authentic selves is to lives our own lives in such a way that others see the good, the bad and the ugly. Now, don’t get carried away and believe that every single person needs to know your newest addiction or vice. However, the greater risk is not allowing anyone at all to see those things. Vulnerable means making the choice to allow others in. 

How To Discover Your Authentic Self

The funny thing about discovering our authentic selves is that there is a fine line between living in authenticity and growing and developing as people. What I mean by that is it’s often difficult to distinguish when we’re being authentic and when we’re being idiots in need of a major overhaul. I view authenticity through a lens of spiritual practice. As a believer in Jesus, I often wonder if spiritual connection with the Father creates self-imposed shame from time to time. If I’m being truly authentic, it’s hard to keep all of my faults out of my prayers. Typically, this leads to a laundry of areas I’ve missed the mark.

Living with a whole heart requires us to embrace this part of who we are. We are sinful people. However, that’s why Jesus is so needed. When we seek more of who He is, we become more of who He created us to be. That’s the hope and the encouragement our meaningful spiritual lives. There is no such thing as too much sin for Jesus.

So what does this mean about discovering our authentic self? 

Grace. The beautiful thing about grace is that it is unending, undeserved, and unobtainable in our own strength. We don’t earn it. Grace is unending in that we are never so far gone that we’re not worthy of it. On the other hand, we’re never so good that we’re not in need of it. What does this mean for us? It means that we get to live as we are without fear of rejection because the One who died for us already accepted us when we gave our lives to Him. 

Maybe it’s your family that you’re worried about being authentic with. Or, as is the case with so many younger generations, there is a significant fear of rejection from their friends groups. For me, it’s those I lead every day at the office. While I’m not a people-pleaser, I like people to like me. Who doesn’t? It’s a very natural desire for most of us. However, when I’m truly living as my authentic self, I’m going to displease plenty of people. What will also happen is that those that truly enjoy who I am will follow me because they trust me. 

How I Discovered Who I Really Was

If you’re discouraged because you don’t feel like you know who you are, you’re not alone. That’s the most important thing to understand. I’m still discovering who I am. What I’ve realized though is that I know who I am now. I’m just growing so it doesn’t always feel like it. My authentic self today is light years ahead of who I was 5 years ago, much less 10 years ago. When I finally discovered that living whole-hearted meant living free of fear of rejection, it changed everything. Literally everything. 

When we moved to Colorado, I had a chance to see who I was professionally for the first time ever. I had worked under an alias for 10 years, so I never had the chance to discover authenticity in the workplace. What I learned throughout our time in Colorado was that there were so many people just like. Struggling to find identity. Leaving something stable for the unknown. Dreaming and scheming for a better future. Authentic conversations were just par for the course during this phase of life. I realized that I wasn’t the only person in need of authentic and vulnerable connection. 

True Authenticity on Display

The friends we made welcomed us in with open arms because they saw something in us that was so similar in themselves. We were hungry for deep connection. These immensely compassionate people revealed to us that without letting them into our story, we would feel as if we were on an island by ourselves grasping for a life raft. Whether it was the Briggs, the Bacons, the Hawkins or the Verheys, we knew we had people in our corner that were for us and were either experiencing similar thoughts as us or had gone through them in the past. 

This led us to complete vulnerability and authenticity at every point along the way. We’ve never looked back. As we’ve made the transition back to our home state of Texas, we’ve taken these two choices to heart. The relationships we once had have changed. The new relationships we’ve created are founded on our own stories and not how we wish things were. 

Primary Thought

If you can’t tell, authenticity is extremely important to us. There is just no other way to truly live lives of meaning and purpose. I would encourage you to consider the areas of your life that are not authentic and do whatever you can to discover your authentic self. You got this! We’re here to support this journey. 

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