Why You Can't Be Authentic - And Three Switches That Finally Make It Possible
BECAUSE YOU'LL LOVE CREATING AND CONTRIBUTING BY BEING YOURSELF
I spent most of my life wanting one thing:
Freedom to create what I enjoy creating and have it be my contribution to the world.
Maybe you feel it too. That desire to just be yourself and create work that feels true to you.
Then maybe you’ve also faced the same challenges and wondered why it’s so hard for you.
When I couldn’t create work that felt true to me, I often felt isolated with my struggle. But what I couldn’t see is that it’s not just a personal challenge. We’re living in times where “being yourself” is simultaneously more valued and difficult.
Fears that you might lose something you can’t afford to lose… Constant checking if others like what you create… Trying to fit your expression into what seems sellable…
That's what I want to talk with you about today.
I'm breaking down 3 blocks that keep you from being authentic and 3 switches that finally let you create what you want to create.
Let’s go.
First off, think about what it means to "create what you enjoy creating and have it be your contribution to the world."
It means:
You follow your natural creative impulses
You make things that light you up inside
You share these creations with others
Your joy becomes someone else's resource
Your authentic expression helps people in some way
Nothing complicated about it. You create what feels meaningful to you, and that creation serves others.
So why on earth would you struggle to do it?
Fear.
Fear of what?
You know Maslow's hierarchy of needs, right?
Look at where self-actualization sits.
It's at the top of the pyramid.
Now look at what's beneath it: basic security, connection, belonging, recognition…
All of these needs must be met before authentic expression feels safe, and before you can create and contribute by being yourself.
When any of these foundational needs feel threatened, you instinctively shift into protection mode. You compromise parts of yourself to preserve what feels essential for meeting the needs from the lower parts of the pyramid.
This tension explains so much of my experience.
While I consciously wanted creative expression and fulfillment through it, my subconscious was driving me to meet these more basic needs. The two desires were clashing.
So, if authentic self-expression currently feels like a challenge for you, if you want to create but hesitate, hold back, feel uncertain… nothing is wrong with you. In fact, everything is right with you. It’s your human wiring protecting you.
The key is to recognize which of these needs might be triggering your fear response, and find ways to address them so you can finally access your creative voice and build your authentic body of work.
Here are the three switches that should help you with that.