I was in Miami speaking on a panel to major beauty brands about how to reach consumers. The priceless take-away (other than the awesome swag bag, gotta love beauty conventions!) was authenticity is KING when it comes to building loyalty. We all encouraged the brands to be transparent and engage with their consumers in real rather than “markety” ways.

This is advice I would give anyone when it comes to communication and building relationships. Doesn’t the truth feel so much better without any kind of spin or embellishment?

Being real rules when it comes to creating trust and connection. In a way, we are all brands in how we present ourselves. How real are you being in your communication and how you represent the brand of YOU?

Consider your personal brand when it comes to your dating life, your career, and your relationships with your friends and family. Is it transparent and authentic? Or do you exaggerate? Embellish? Say the things you think others want to hear? Act in ways that are manipulative? Hide things because you do not want to be judged? Project an image of who you think you should be? Or even lie?

Often we become overly strategic and put getting a certain result above being ourselves.  We contort ourselves into becoming what will believe will get us validation, acceptance or an outcome we are attached to.

The problem with choosing strategy over authenticity is that we end up creating results based on who we think we need to be rather than who we truly are. Rather than just speaking from our heart, we over-think and speak from our ego. Instead of being real, we play games.

Of course some planning is necessary in certain situations; however, call yourself out if you notice any kind of disconnection from your truth.

When the truth of who you are is your compass for how you communicate and present yourself, you will create the results in your life that are in alignment with who you truly are. @ChristinHassler (Click to Tweet!)

Anything or anyone that you get from being deceitful or manipulative in any way will be satisfying to your ego, but not your soul.

Please do not be some morphed version of yourself. No embellishment is required!!! Authentic is sexy and leads to soulful success! I celebrate who you are and I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic, so leave a comment below.

Authenticity is the sexy and leads to soulful success! Be YOU, everyone else is taken.

Love,

Christine

P.S. I have a new podcast where I coach people LIVE on the air. Head over to Over it and On With It and listen in for inspiration and action steps.

Christine Hassler has broken down the complex and overwhelming experience of recovering from disappointment into a step-by-step treatment plan in her new book Expectation Hangover. This book reveals the formula for how to process disappointment on the emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual levels to immediately ease suffering. Instead of wallowing in regret, self-recrimination, or anger, we can see these experiences as catalysts for profound transformation and doorways that open to possibility. You can find more info on her website, and follow her on Twitter and FB.

Image courtesy of Levi Saunders.