What Does It Mean to Be Genuine?
Individuals often dislike associating themselves with phony items. Humans seek authenticity, and everyone strives to be genuine. So what does it mean to be genuine? Being genuine, in my opinion, refers to one's philosophies, morals, beliefs, thoughts, and personality attributes. It entails being authentic and living true to oneself.
Honest Communication in Relationships
Couples, for example, frequently experience communication issues in their relationships. These reports could be accurate. What is more essential is that most couples have difficulty being honest with one other and with themselves. The point is that the foundation for vibrant and healthy friendship and relationships is established through authentic mutual sharing of each other's personal experiences, which involves honest communication. People often pride themselves on being real or genuine. However, reality or authenticity is a tricky terminology, which points towards a continuous process of unveiling percolates deep inside individuals.
Uncovering True Reality Through Honest Communication
People may pride themselves on being real when they express their ‘honest' opinion regarding what is wrong with someone. However, that does not qualify as real or authentic communication. Judging, blaming, and attacking others, in my view, is very far from what it means to be real or honest. Reality involves a sincere commitment to going inside oneself and uncovering one's actual experiences and then communicating it with utmost honesty, truthfulness, and authenticity. True reality requires individuals to take time and check in within themselves before giving any response to an issue, as opposed to sloppily and reactively voicing emotions.
The Role of Mindfulness in Being Authentic
One of the primary ingredients that constitute an interpersonally engaging and robust reality or authenticity is being mindful. Reality cannot exist without conscious awareness of one's actual experiences. Mindfulness, in my view, relates to attending to one's experiences with actuality without making judgments. Being real, therefore, requires people to allow their experiences to be just as they are. Frequently, people do not allow themselves to experience reality because of various reasons, including the fear of shame. Some people often imagine that something is wrong with them for possessing certain feelings. Others try to fit themselves into some images of how they feel or think they should be for them to gain respect or be loved.
Embracing Vulnerabilities and Authenticity
Additionally, some people judge themselves as defective or weak when they experience certain uncomfortable feelings such as fear, hurt, or sadness. In fact, individuals may be convinced that if they express their vulnerabilities to others, then they (others) would be so horrified that they (others) would reject them or think less of them. However, vulnerability feelings, in my view, are merely a component or part of being human. I think it is of great importance and strength for people to embrace their humanity rather than their weakness because embracing humanity is a reflection of one's authenticity. Besides, creating a gentle mindfulness within the full range of human experience and sharing such experiences with entrusted and close individuals establishes an atmosphere for rich connections. In other words, by being mindful of one's experiences from time to time, people remain connected to themselves, and that intimacy with oneself lays a foundation for being more authentic and intimate with others. Therefore, noticing and disclosing one's authentic experiences invites other people into one’s heart and allows people to see and understand what is real for them.
The Role of Kindness and Good Communication
Some people tend to relate reality with being kind. However, in my view, people can be kind but dishonest emotionally. That is because they hide their genuine feelings and leave others guessing about their feelings or needs. It is therefore difficult and challenging to connect with individuals who are not direct and sincere, and one may easily choke on such people’s sweetness when it is not connected with reality. However, the effort of being real without the softening kindness ingredient can easily transform into brutality. In other words, mindfulness combined with a kind or good communication forms a strong force of being real. That is because being aware of one's feelings and needs and expressing them in a kind manner is more likely to be linked with reality. Humans have tender hearts, and people get more receptive and less defensive when they communicate their feelings, not only truthfully or genuinely, but also with kindness and gentleness, which is what translates to being real.
Creating Trust Through Authenticity
In my view, reality gets sweeter and deeper as individuals become mindful of their authentic experiences, which gives them the skills and courage of communicating in ways that are gentle, kind, and real. In other words, individuals who feel a sense of safety by being closer to others naturally get drawn into a genuine participation in one another’s hearts. Therefore, being real is a desirable proposition that generates trust and respect from others and forms a primary component of both friendship and leadership in society. When individuals believe in themselves and remain true to their values, philosophies, and beliefs, others naturally get drawn to them, as well as believe in their words and follow their directions or guidance. Besides, being real requires an individual's understanding of other people's principle of authentic power because reality, in my view, cannot exist without authentic power, which reflects one's rightfulness, genuineness, or truthfulness.
Acting in Alignment with One's Authenticity
Being real involves acting in ways that are compatible with one's abilities, beliefs, philosophies, and values. The more life becomes virtual; the more people hanker after real and genuine things. Most people today engage in online operations through multi-choice switchboards or communications with automated voices, as well as via screen-based appointment check-ins. During such activities, what people are more interested in are not just services and products, but the experience. That is because it is the experience that reflects the online operations' reality, transparency, and honesty. In fact, even when people engage in a one-on-one communication, there is always a great interest in ensuring that the conversation is both real and meaningful.
Embracing Self-Awareness and Making Authentic Decisions
Therefore, being real is about being authentic and truthful to oneself, as opposed to doing what pleases others or the society. Self-awareness is key to the experience of reality, and when embracing the knowledge of being real, it makes decision-making processes easier since it gives people the freedom to choose things that are in agreement with their values, beliefs, morals, and philosophies. While being real may sometimes imply making different decisions or exposing parts of an individual that one would otherwise hide, it allows people to lead happier, more open and fulfilled lives in the long run. Besides, being real requires individuals to remain stronger than the possibility of not being liked or accepted by others. It also involves being consistently authentic and taking actions that are guided by one's morals, beliefs, and values, irrespective of how horrible or unpopular other people may perceive such actions.
