Authenticity. It feels like this word is getting too mainstream, almost as long as work/life balance has been a buzzword. Maybe I’m exaggerating, but my point is that authenticity is one of those words thrown around without us truly sitting down to understand what it means and how it impacts our lives and work—much like love or awareness.

Why do so many of us feel like investing in ourselves is less valuable than what we release into the world and the lives of others? I don't believe we say this out loud on the surface level. It is in our actions that we tend to reflect our true feelings about this. When we put the needs and feelings of others before our own or, worse, before our Creator, we are ultimately saying without words that everyone else is worth the effort.

In the professional space, there is a concept called AAW - Authenticity at Work. This idea suggests that when an employee experiences alignment between their genuine “true selves” and the work they do, unnecessary stress and unhappiness are eliminated, and productivity is enhanced. One can tap into and unleash their potential for unique contribution and greatness for the benefit of the whole. Imagine the types of leaders and managers that emerge from this positive and satisfying relationship between person and work. We need more of this.

Frustrated and miserable. Self-isolating and self-doubting. Overwhelmed often. Anxious and sick and tired of being sick and tired. Stressed out! Guilty and shameful. Neglected and unkempt. Inadequate. Confused. Impatient. Defeated. Exhausted!

Maybe they aren’t wrong in 2024. I think genuine, God-ordained love is still a rare commodity; however, what I believe the world needs a whole lot more of is a different kind of love. A self-aware, self-love.

I've got a closet full of t-shirts that read "I'm stuck again, start over." And let me tell you, constantly starting over can be such a downer. It feels like I'm not making any progress at all. The frustration of being boxed in or chained to a place I don't want to be is real.

If you're feeling stuck too, you're not alone.

The realization dawned on me that the pathway out of this state does not lie in external changes—switching careers, relocating, or seeking new relationships—but instead in confronting the inner chaos that feeds habits of self-sabotage

At the heart of it, finding your way out of those internal chains starts with seeing things differently. It's about acknowledging that the hurdles life throws your way are not permanent fixtures but fleeting challenges.