One of our deepest desires as humans to be seen, heard, and known. Yet, we simultaneously do everything in our power to not let others see us. Just like we showed mom our good grades to receive approval, as adults we have the same goal, just a different strategy. We show others our good jobs, our good behavior, our good opinions, and our good emotions to receive approval from them. Even when we show people the darker aspects of our lives, it still has the needy energy tainting it. We tell people our stories of the difficulties in our lives in the hopes that they affirm what good people we are for being victims of the people or circumstances doing us harm. What would happen let go of that agenda to be perceived in some kind of way? Or at least, to be transparent about our agenda to be approved of? In truth, no human being will ever go completely of that agenda, but how far could we take it? Who would you be if you weren’t trying to prove anything to anyone? What would it be like to allow other people to make any kind of judgment without us trying to manage their perception of us? That is authenticity, and it requires an enormous amount of courage. It requires us to live emotionally exposed. It requires the willingness to stay open to life moving through you no matter what. That is true power. That is true freedom. How could we access just one percent of that freedom every single day?