There was a time when I was merely a mediocre pretender.

Oftentimes, we become enslaved by our ego, driven by a fragile desire for possession and projecting a false image. The crucial question I had to confront myself with was: Whom am I truly trying to prove myself to?

Throughout the years, I have often resented not being able to embrace my genuineness, lacking the courage to speak my mind. This was largely due to the ingrained notion that "it is not appropriate in this situation." I chose to supress who I truly was and how I felt about a certain situations. These suppressed emotions accumulated, resulting in a high level of frustration within my body, taking a significant toll on my well-being.

In our journey through life, we lose touch with our authentic inner children, to the extent that we no longer recognize ourselves. We lose the contact with that child which was able to effortlessly embody genuineness. Have you ever been caught off guard by a blunt response from a kid? I certainly have. Initially, I labeled the kid as impolite, when in reality, they were simply being honest with me. Why do we always feel the need to serve our ego and sugarcoat our words to the point they have no meaning?

I experienced firsthand the change in my relationships when I started embracing authenticity. I discovered what was in front of me without any hidden agenda, being honest about who I was and what I needed. Although, at times, it was challenging and felt intrusive, over time, I observed how people began appreciating this genuine trait.

I learned that the answer was all this time within, it was me. So, if you #pause and #beStill for a moment, can you answer: To whom are you trying to prove yourself?