Yes, I am an American Idol fan! I have been known to tear up if one of my favorites is booted off or if an underdog wins it all. While watching the other night I came to a big realization. Knowing your authentic self is the ticket on Idol, yes, but also in life. It is so true! Knowing who you are as an artist may win the record deal on American Idol but it may also help you win in life. We are all artists in one way or another. It is very obvious to me now. Being our authentic self is the key to the truth. Our journey to happiness and all the prizes!
Think about your friends and family; do some of them really stand out? They are the ones who know themselves. In other words, they are comfortable in their own skin and know who they are as people. It shows in signs like happiness, passion, and confidence. A passion for life is unmistakable.
Are you living authentically? I am now but I can think back to times in my life when I was definitely not living authentically. I can remember when I pulled my very curly hair back in a bun, put on a business suit and a pair of pearls, and then went to work making presentations on things that I knew nothing about and certainly had no passion for. I was not living authentically at all!
Sometimes authenticity can be as simple as a necklace choice. Do I choose my Energy Muse necklace or a string of pearls? Or even in other day-to-day decisions, such as do I go to the Whole Foods salad bar for lunch or have a hot dog on the street corner? Am I going to blog for The Huffington Post about kale juice or tax reform? Do I watch The Oprah Show or ESPN? There are times when I slip up, but the authentic choices are the ones that make me feel more like me! I think most of us can say some parts of our lives are authentic and some are not. Happiness is a good measure. Simply asking yourself, "In the end, will this decision make me happy?" is a good place to start.
Crystal Bowersox is my current favorite. She is so cool! She is authentic. She knows who she is as an artist but probably as a person also! In the end, yes, artists who are authentic will appeal to others, of course, but we must remember we are all artists in one way or another.
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