Be Brave – Be Authentic – Be Fabulous! | By Ruby McGuire

You'll often hear me say the phrase, 'Be The Fabulous You'. Being the FABULOUS you means showing up - authentically.

We all know how exhausting it can be when we try to keep up the façade of being the person we think others want us to be, in life or business. We see how other people behave online, hear lots of stories about who we think we should be - and that can make us feel that we need to adopt a new persona in order to fit in.

But authenticity is not something anyone can tell you how to do as it's completely unique to you. The very act of trying to copy someone or follow a prescription to be authentic negates the authenticity, making it something very unreal - the exact opposite of what you're trying to achieve.

The secret to creating a great business and life is simply to be you. It sounds very simple, but to be truly authentic takes bravery.

You've probably heard the phrase, 'people buy from people they know, like and trust'. Your ideal clients want to get to know you – the real you - not a cookie cutter of another coach. Being authentic and owning who you are: strengths, weakness, idiosyncrasies and all is key to being successful in business and life.

When I worked in HR I was a perfect example of someone living two lives, all serious in work mode and then out of work you'd get to see the real me, and my fun, playful side would come out. Over time I realised that I was people pleasing, not willing to trust myself or my decisions. I found it difficult to relax and let people see the real me because I had a full-blown case of 'imposter syndrome' (the fear of being found out or not being good enough). I lacked confidence and doubted myself at every turn.

Think about your own life. How often do you go along with how you think people want you to be? Are you one person online and another offline?

In business, and in the coaching business especially, authenticity is essential. It's about being visible, allowing people to see your vulnerable, dare I say it, human side. That's what they identify with. People want to know you're great at what you do and they also want to know that you make mistakes too, just like they do.

So How Do We Do it? Well, Here are My 7 Top Tips for Being Authentic:

1. Speak your truth – stand up for what you believe in.
2. Continually learn who you are. Commit to ongoing self-development, whether that's learning something new or just practicing kindness and gratitude.
3. Drop your perfectionism – 80% good enough is well... good enough!
4. Do what you say you're going to do. If you've said you'd like to meet someone for coffee then put a date in the diary.
5. Feel your feelings – a big part of being authentic. Don't deny them.
6. Set and respect your boundaries. Know what is and isn't acceptable to you and do what's right for YOU.
7. Really listen, get to know other people on a deeper level - and let them do the same. They want to know YOU.

And here are Some Journaling Prompts to Help You Get Started:

Pop the kettle on, get your journal out and consider the following questions (this could be a good excuse to go and treat yourself to a new notebook or fab new app!):

• Where are you holding back in life and/or business?
• Where are you not showing up authentically?
• When are you not showing up authentically?
• What needs to happen for you to change this?
• What's the worst that could happen if you do start living authentically?
• What would be a really brave step for you to take?
• When will you take it?

We have to make the decision to step up, be brave, visible and most importantly, show up authentically. It isn't an overnight thing and it takes time to establish this new habit. But although it will probably feel uncomfortable and uncertain at first, the benefits are enormous.

When you start to be authentic in your life and business - you start to 'Be The Fabulous You'. Life will become simpler, you will have freedom and a newfound self-belief that people love you just as you are.

You don't need to change you; you just need to BE you.

Be brave – Be authentic – Be fabulous!

If you liked this fun article on authenticity, you may also like:

• Coaching Tools 101: 5 Coaching Tools to Boost Authenticity
• 12 Easy Ideas to Get More Done AND Have Fun Too!
• How to write an About Page that Rocks! 6 Key Tips | By Julie Nowell

Contributing Author:

Ruby McGuire is a Business & Mindset Queen, certified by the IAPC&M. She's an expert Coach, Mentor, Trainer, Speaker, and Author. Her passion lies in empowering clients to lead their businesses like royalty. Through her guidance, they develop leadership skills, cultivate a success mindset, and attract dreamie clients. Ruby's on a mission to simplify life, opting out of social media marketing for her coaching and mentoring business to enjoy Scotland's beauty. Visit her pretty online home, Rock Your Fabulous Biz, for insights like her Mini Guide to Marketing Without Social Media.

Ruby's also a Certified Zentangle Teacher, so you'll often find her 'tangling'. Explore her artistic side on Ruby 2 Shoes Design, where she showcases her crafts and offers Zentangle®️ workshops. She also runs ZenFlow Workshops Beginner Zentangle®️ Workshops for Corporations & Charities. When not immersed in work, Ruby indulges in books, card-making, and quality time with her family, including her beloved dog and chickens, all accompanied by a delicious Whittard Vanilla cappuccino!

Learn more about Ruby & see all their articles here >>