What does it mean to be authentic in today's world? It doesn't mean just being different or standing out from the crowd, and I'll tell you why.

"Genuineness." "Authenticity." These words are kind of hard to say and, for many people, even harder to be. Let me tell you what I think it means to be authentic. First of all, authentic people are aware of their thoughts and feelings, and they behave in ways that reflect those feelings. They don't see any need to "Put on an act" to impress or control others. They accept their vulnerabilities as well as their strengths, and they know that accepting something isn't necessarily the same thing as liking it. Do you know something else? Because they accept themselves for who they are, they accept other people, too.

Authentic people don't laugh at jokes they don't think are funny. They don't change their identity, like chameleons, depending on who they are with or where they are. So, if you want to grow as a person, take time to really know yourself. If you're not completely happy with what you find, don't worry too much. Work on accepting yourself for what you are, right here, right now, and on being truly authentic.

Carl Rogers, a world famous psychologist, once said that when we accept ourselves exactly as we are, change becomes much easier. I firmly believe he was right. If you are a parent, take a tip from another famous Mr. Rogers: Let your kids know that even though you may not always like what they do, you love them for who they are - just the way they are!