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**Authenticity** involves being true to one's own personality, values, and spirit, regardless of external pressures. It means expressing oneself honestly and transparently, embracing one's true self, and acting in alignment with one's core beliefs and values.

**Why Authenticity is Scary:**

Being authentic can be scary for several reasons

1. **Fear of Rejection

2. **Vulnerability

3. **Judgment

4. **Loss of Relationships

5. **Social Pressure

6. **Fear of Failure

7. **Uncertainty

8. **Personal Growth

9. **Change in Identity

10. **Professional Risks

11. **Fear of Conflict

12. **Exposure of Weaknesses

13. **Breaking Expectations

14. **Cultural or Familial Expectations

15. **Economic or Social Consequences

16. **Self-Doubt

17. **Loss of Control

18. **Fear of Change

19. **Emotional Labor - doing the internal work

20. **Fear of Isolation

21. **Past Trauma

22. **Complex Identity**: or complex trauma

Breaking it down further….

Starting with #1 Fear of rejection

1. **Fear of Rejection:**

- Being authentic means showing others who you truly are, which can lead to the fear that they might not accept or like you. Here's how we avoid it:

1. **People-Pleasing

2. **Masking True Feelings

3. **Withholding Personal Information

4. **Overachieving

5. **Avoiding Intimacy

6. **Self-Sabotage:

7. **Adopting a False Persona:

8. **Excessive Modesty or Humility:

9. **Social Withdrawal

10. **Constantly Seeking Reassurance

11 **tendency towards Perfectionism:

12. **Overthinking

13. **Excessive Apologizing

14. **Inauthentic Agreeableness:....aka lying for appproval**

- Agreeing with others' opinions and choices even when you disagree.

- Suppressing your true preferences and desires to avoid standing out.

15. **Non-Confrontational Behavior:**

Avoiding conflict at all costs

16. **Passive Behavior

17. **Attention-Seeking

18. **Pretending Indifference:

19. **Neglecting Personal Needs

20. **Frequent Humor or Deflection:

These behaviors, while often employed as protective mechanisms, can ultimately hinder authentic self-expression and fulfilling relationships. Identifying and addressing them is key to fostering healthier interactions and a stronger sense of self.