Authenticity: It’s Magnetic
It draws them to you
A Lesson @ School:
I want to start with a story from my childhood. I was in 7th grade. There was a girl in my school. Her name was Lakshmi. She used to study very well. She was better than me and therefore I respected her. But one day she asked a very basic question: She didn’t know the meaning of a word and instead of hiding behind a facade of an all knowing personality, she simply asked what it meant.
It was a simple word and I couldn’t believe that she didn’t have a clue about it. But her childlike innocence drew me to her in admiration and awe. I was so surprised to see her ask this question and learn the answer right away instead of pretending to know and having all the consequences of not knowing and pretending to punish her later.
Fast-forward to 47:
But I forgot all about her as school rolled on. Then came college, then marriage and finally I came to a place where I could hide no more behind a facade. I was 47. And I needed to let go of everything that was wearing me down and holding me down at the bottom of the canyon I had descended into without knowing.
A Beckoning:
That’s when I stumbled upon the word called ‘authenticity’. It beckoned to me. It wanted to make me its own. It wanted me to take on its challenge of being an authentic person. So, I submitted to its call. I decided to take on authenticity as my identity. I wanted to see where it took me. And take me it did, places!
A Chance Encounter @ Substack:
First I got on Substack, then I met Alex. He was a kid in his 20s but he was trying to change the world, one discussion at a time. I got really interested because his thoughts were unique and nobody seemed to understand him but somehow I seemed to. I was surprised and I felt the need to support him since I understood him when nobody else did.
Slowly but surely we became buddies, friends who exchanged a lot of interesting and intelligent thoughts about the world around us as well as about ourselves within. In the process, I learnt something very interesting. The more I opened up myself with honesty, the more interesting discussions ensued and the result: I had 1000 watts bulbs lighting up my brain constantly.
He had grown up with ‘Meditations’ by Marcus Aurelius which he kept on his desk and while he looked like a 20 something kid, he spoke like a 60 something adult. I gave a casual comment about it and it delighted instead of annoying or discouraging him. I was again surprised. Now there were two incidents to reinforce my call to authenticity.
A Decision:
So I decided that I was going to try to be true to myself first and foremost rather than shy away and hide behind a facade. I decided to exercise my new found identity with old friends that I decided to reconnect with and to my surprise, they were delighted to embrace me. It came to my attention that I had been pretty authentic while I had been in touch with them as well some 30 years ago.
Another Decision:
So I decided to exercise my new found identity at Substack as well. To my surprise, it has drawn many people to me here. Substack, as it is, seems to be a place where sojourners can voice their opinions and concerns authentically. It’s no surprise that I was also able to exercise my new found authenticity here as well. It’s so easy to apologize when you are mistaken and so easy to root for people for their writing and make friends here.
A Breeding-Ground:
So I could simply suggest that Substack is a place where authenticity resides. Or get more poetic and say Substack is the lake where authenticity dwells. And I think many of us here have taste-tested that. When you are authentic there is no need to lie, or hide behind a facade or even build a facade, we can be as transparent as a crystal clear lake and crystal lakes will draw crowds to taste-test its waters.
Some Examples:
When you are authentic, people will know that they can trust in you when you say something. They will know that they can disagree with you and you won’t be nasty to them in return because you don’t need to show off as if you are more knowledgeable than them. People will know that you can enjoy new perspectives and not ruin their ideas or step on them.
The Magnetic Effect:
And being authentic will make people admire you because you will not fit into predefined societal patterns. Your answers will always surprise them because it will come straight from your heart and prick them like sweet arrows from a lover’s heart: direct, piercing and true. And when they hear what they least expect and know it is true, many will fall in love with you quite simply.
So, have I convinced you enough to try authenticity? Let me know in the comments.
Thanks for listening. Hope to hear from you soon!
Sincerely,
Shalini Ashok
I like to walk in the light of truth