Authenticity is about BEING yourself and not HIDING who you are or how you feel, nor is it about PROVING who you are and how great you are.
Honesty comes from the head. Authenticity comes from the heart.
When difficulties arise in a relationship, which they do, it is with AUTHENTICITY that we can move through the conflict and be stronger in the aftermath.
Self-Work:
Reflect on who you become, or what defensive position you take to protect yourself from being hurt. Do you become someone different with different people and in different situations?
Are you hiding or avoiding? Are you playing the martyr or people-pleasing? Or are you stepping into a defensive or righteous position, to fight or compete?
If you were to name your defensive personalities, like I have mine, what would you call them?