When, if ever, did I stop being me?

“I want to ask you a question,” my father said. “I hope you won’t be insulted.”

“Sure. Go ahead,” I responded, curious about what would come next. I was visiting him in his Florida home; we hadn’t seen each other in perhaps ten years. But my father has a reputation for eccentricity and you never know where his thoughts are leading, so I confess to a little apprehension.

“I’m trying to figure out this facebook thing. And I want to ask you: are you really that person you present yourself to be on there?”

If you click the “About Coach Connie” tab on this website and scroll down a bit, you’ll see that “Authenticity” is one of my top life values. Authenticity: I am who I say I am.

“Yes, I am that person,” I said with a chuckle. “I’m purposeful about what I include on social media because I definitely want to be honest about how I present myself online.”

“Good,” he said, “because I think some people are not. And that’s what I don’t like about this electronic communication stuff.”

Authenticity is a challenge. Do I know who I am? Am I leading an authentic life? Am I on the quest to allow the “real me” to blossom and flourish in the world?

I’m dedicating the rest of July and the month of August to the topic of Authenticity. We’ll have a guest blogger, provide some resources, and ask some personal questions. I hope you’ll participate in the conversation. Let’s be authentic together and share in the adventure!