"Be yourself; everyone else is already taken." Oscar WildeIf you're unfamiliar with Brene Brown, I need you need to stop what you're doing and check her out now. She is most famous for her talks on vulnerability, courage, authenticity and shame. Ok, now come back. Your life is changed, right?? Brene's teachings are everything and more. Put her, Elizabeth Gilbert and Oprah Winfrey together, and they are my Holy Trinity on all things authentic.What Brene understands is that to be shamelessly authentic, we must choose it. She says, "Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are."

Authenticity demands wholehearted living and loving – even when it’s hard, even when we’re wrestling with the shame and fear of not being good enough, and especially when the joy is so intense that we’re afraid to let ourselves feel it. Mindfully practicing authenticity during our most soul-searching struggles is how we invite grace, joy, and gratitude into our lives. –  The Gifts of Imperfection, p. 50

Being shamelessly authentic involves a lot of introspective evaluation. With all that that said, I want to share with you five ways you can be shamelessly authentic right now. I'm the worst pretender in the world. If you need someone to lie or fake the funk, don't call me. My facial expressions will tell the true story every time. So I try my best to move authentically. And if I ever experience a negative emotion, I pull back to assess the situation. When you aren't being authentic, you'll start to experience negative emotions like jealousy, hurt, anger, etc. That's not you. [Tweet "Authenticity feels good."] Being shamelessly authentic is so easy. Here's how.

How to Be Shameslessly Authentic in 5 Simple Ways

1. EMBRACE YOUR FLAWS. Recognize that no one is perfect. No at a one. And actually, perfection is boring. Your flaws make you uniquely yourself and that's irreplaceable. Learn to embrace your imperfections.
2. SAY NO. I've never had a problem saying this but those of you who are kinder than me (lol), go ahead and tuck this away for a rainy day.
3. BE. Authenticity shouldn't take much effort. You don't wake up thinking, "Hmm, how am I going to be today?" No. You just are. Just be you.
4. CREATE MEANINGFUL MOMENTS. Oftentimes we overlook the simplest ways that we can display our authenticity. You know when you tell your girlfriend whatever she's rocking looks good on her, or when you pass a stranger and say hello with a real smile, that's you being authentic.
5. KNOW YOURSELF. Being self-aware and following your instincts are part of the process of getting to know who you are.

So really, you don't have to prove that you're being shamelessly authentic. When you are yourself, when you are embracing the challenging aspects of yourself, you are being authentic. Those uncomfortable moments and emotions are just a layer waiting to be peeled back in order to reveal your authentic self. Unfortunately, authenticity can't be taught; it's an innate attribute. When you remove the things that take away from who you are, you're well on the road to authenticity.Photo credit: SplitShire