Staying authentic in a technology-driven world

We’re addicted to our phones, our attention spans are diminishing to that of a goldfish, and we’re social media obsessed. In a world where we’re absorbed in technology, constantly being fed information, it’s that much more important for us to stay true to ourselves, despite the social pressures and noise.

Ok, I’ll be the first to admit that ‘authentic’ is a buzz word, but here’s the deal: authenticity is what makes you, you. The things that truly matter to you map to your authentic self and that is what drives you to succeed in your own way. When the world is loud, one of the most important things we can do is to remain authentic.

Technology is beautiful in that it enables us to maintain and strengthen relationships, as well as connect with people globally. It gives us access to the brands we love, enables us to share ideas, is an effective way to important information, and is a channel to bring attention to worthy causes. When overused or abused, though, it can have a tendency to distract us from our priorities. So, how can we stay authentic in this technology-driven world?

The truth is, it’s easy to lose yourself. We spend every day staring at other people’s highlight reels, and absorbing what expectations society has set for us. Social media makes it far too easy to compare ourselves to others, and put a facade on our lives. This can mask your reality, as well as your future, if you start living for the satisfaction of more ‘likes’ rather than what truly drives you. When we think about reaching our goals, whatever those goals may be, we want to do it for ourselves, not to fulfill expectations that others have set for us. The most rewarding achievements are done fairly and for the right reasons.

It’s easy to go through your day-to-day life living for others, consumed with what others may think or how you level up to them. But that’s not what it’s all about. Where is the satisfaction in that? We should be chasing our own definition of success, and reaching those goals for our own personal reasons.

My first ask of you is to check-in with yourself. Take a few minutes to truly think about where you’re spending your energy. Are you leveraging technology to communicate, access information, and make parts of your life easier, or are you relying on it to give you direction? Is it sucking the energy out of you and getting in the way of what you’d really like to be focusing on? Be real with yourself.

Then, here’s a simple challenge: next time you go to post something on social media, think about why you’re posting it. So often, we carefully curate these images of our lives to satisfy others, rather than expressing our true selves. Also, be aware of how what you’re absorbing is affecting your goal-setting. Is your primary concern worrying about what others will think? Are you hesitating because whatever you’re doing isn’t the status quo of those around you? Are you losing confidence because you’re comparing your own life to everyone else’s curated Instagram feed?

Technology is an integral part of our everyday lives, but when you let it drive you, it’s too easy to lose sight of yourself. Remember your why, stay true to yourself, and share that with the world unapologetically.