We’re often told to “be true to ourselves:” to line-up the person we are on the outside with the person we are on the inside. In a word, to be authentic. But what does it mean to “be who we are,” “get in touch with ourselves,” or to go full new-age “live in alignment with our higher purpose?” What even is authenticity really?

In this episode @RickHanson and I explore what authenticity is, where it comes from, and whether it’s actually a good thing to be more authentic. We talk about what we really mean when we use the word “authenticity,” the fragmented nature of the self, and problems with unregulated self expression. We then turn towards how we can include all of ourselves, act from our values, and become at peace with who we are.

Key Topics:
0:00 Introduction
2:30 How Rick thinks about authenticity
6:20 Congruence, presentation, and the difference between honest and good
13:50 A personal example of authenticity from Rick and Forrest
17:00 Self-disclosure as a factor of intimacy
19:55 What parts of ourselves are we being authentic to?
23:30 Vulnerability and aspiration
28:50 Carl Rogers’ idea of the perceived self and the ideal self
33:00 Is self-improvement authentic?
36:30 Unconditional positive regard, and embodiment
40:05 Naming what you’re feeling, the vastness of the psyche, and self-honesty
46:36 Having a secure environment for aspirational change
48:55 Individualism, social roles, and intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation
53:25 Archetypes, the shadow, and integration
59:50 Recap

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Who Am I: I'm Forrest, the co-author of Resilient (https://amzn.to/3iXLerD) and host of the Being Well Podcast (https://apple.co/38ufGG0). I'm making videos focused on simplifying psychology, mental health, and personal growth.

You can follow me here:
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🌍 https://www.forresthanson.com
📸   / f.hanson