Authenticity means to know yourself and to act accordingly. Scientists have argued that authenticity is not just a component or prerequisite to well-being but rather the very core of well-being.
During an individual’s life, many factors can hurt authenticity. Examples include exposure to control strategies, such as salient rewards and punishments (e.g., punishment for voicing one’s opinion), the internalization of unhelpful beliefs (e.g., crying is a sign of weakness), and an environment where expression is expressed management is the norm and others. Over time, an individual’s authenticity can become increasingly obscured, leading to a significant reduction in well-being. In this tool, a metaphor is described that illuminates how positive psychology interventions can help increase authenticity.
In this podcast, Dr. Angela Gala shares the prime insights of a powerful metaphor authored by Dr. Hugo Alberts: The Metaphor of David.
