1) Discover who you are and what is important to you. Being authentic is only possible if we know ourselves. Often times it requires some digging, some reflection and some coaching in order to get really clear. I encourage you to pick up my free e-book, "5 Superpowers You May Not Even Know You Have". This e-book is a self-coaching workbook offering you several thought-provoking questions that will get you even more clear about who you are and what you want!
2) Surround yourself with authentic people. If you've ever spent time with someone authentic, you know how natural it is for you to move into your own authentic space. Authentic people ground us, and when we are grounded, we feel peaceful.
3) Be proud of who you are. Authentic people like themselves. They've come to accept their flaws and they are really proud of their strengths. We spend too much time putting ourselves down and trying to be better... be proud of who you are... you are far greater than you think.
4) Accept your bad days. It's a very natural reaction to resist a bad day. The thing is, when we have a bad day it is usually because we need to acknowledge something. Instead of wishing away your bad days, take some time to reflect what your bad day is really about. You might be surprised how your bad day transforms into an enlightened day.
5) Be the change you want to see in the world (Gandhi). You have freedom of speech and self-expression. An authentic person not only says what's important to them, they also live in ways that reflect their beliefs. Actions always speak louder than words. Be what is important to you and do what is important to you! Keep it real by living the kind of life you really value.
6) Say 'sorry'. An authentic person is aware they will make mistakes. They also want to be responsible for those mistakes. If you screw up say 'sorry'. We can make excuses for ourselves, we can blame other people or we can simply admit we screwed up and apologize with sincerity. Authentic people are not afraid of the word 'sorry', in fact it is a predominant word in their vocabulary.
7) Practice genuine honesty. Being honest is an authentic trait. It's not always easy to say how we feel or what we think because we don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. The truth is, when we come clean about what's on our mind and we express ourselves tactfully, we not only do ourselves a great service, but we do others a great service too.
