I’ve reached a point in my life where I’m no longer asking for permission to be who I am. Authenticity isn’t about getting everyone to understand me, approve of me, or agree with me. It’s about walking through this life knowing who I am, what matters to me, and having the courage to live accordingly.

For too much of my life, I’ve looked outside myself for validation. Is this the right thing to do? Will they approve? What will they think? How will I be perceived? But here’s the uncomfortable truth: when I need everyone else’s approval, I’ve handed them the authority to define my life.

At 72, I have less interest in being acceptable and far more interest in being authentic. I may dress differently. Think differently. Make choices others wouldn’t make. They don’t have to like it. They don’t have to understand it. And they certainly don’t have to approve of it. I do. I’m comfortable standing behind the life I’m choosing to live.

So I’m asking myself a different question now: Do I like the life I’m living? If the answer is yes, that may be enough. Your life is not a committee decision. Stop waiting for permission. Stop outsourcing your confidence. Know who you are, trust what you know, and have the courage to live it.

Offering an opportunity to help you find new possibility in your life.

Gary Merel, Life Coach

To Schedule a free discovery call, 732-208-2836 or visit leanintoyourlife.net