It is natural human behavior to bend the truth at times or to cover up bad behavior with eloquent excuses. Instead of showing people who we really are, we hide behind a false persona. Why is it that we can’t be true to who we are? Why do we feel a need to misrepresent ourselves instead? Dark Joseph Ravine, founder of online store Kindness for Success, believes in living honestly and acting with authenticity.
We may, however, find ourselves in difficult situations where we may have to lie for the sake of peace. But in general, allowing people to see who we really are is admirable and allows us to inspire those around us to become more authentic. When we achieve the goal of authenticity, our actions will be free of any ulterior motives.
Though this theory may sound farfetched, in Ravine’s experience, honesty only begets more honesty and authenticity only begets more authenticity. “I remember misrepresenting myself on quite a few occasions attempting to impress the person I was with. These people ended up not being impressed with me at all because I wasn’t being my unique, authentic self. I was displaying a dishonest version of myself.
After that, I realized the importance of authentic representation and living honestly. When I began to be myself, more people respected me and what I was doing. That is why I believe honesty is the most important trait in all human interactions.” Ravine’s journey toward discovering his authentic inner being gave him deeper understanding of the importance of relating honestly with others.
Ravine often witnesses many influencers who seem to be portraying an image they simply do not have. He discourages such behavior. “If our followers realize that we’re not authentic people and that we are only doing things to impress them, they will lose respect for us and our work. It is important to be ourselves and only do things we’re comfortable with.
If we are trying to be someone we’re not, most people realize that we’re not who we seem. Those people may even influence our followers against us or stop following us altogether. That’s why it’s important to represent ourselves organically. Looking to other influencers for ideas is okay, but we cannot lose our authentic selves in the process.” Ravine believes living honestly will bring about successful outcomes for social media influencers, as well as the rest of society.
When we care about others in an authentic way, it shows. People are grateful for our displays of kindness. However, when we act with ulterior motives or seek to gain at the expense of others, we are not representing our true inner selves. We are seeking superficial gratification instead of lasting meaning. “If we make a resolution to act with honesty and live honest lives,
we are one step closer to making our world a better place,” says Ravine. “We cannot force others to behave as we are behaving, but we can inspire others by being an example. My goal as an influencer and the message of my brand Kindness for Success is to be our best selves, and live honestly, while inspiring others to do the same. We will then be one step closer to making the world a better place.” We all have the power to bring honesty and authenticity into our lives. Ravine encourages us all to start today.
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