Authenticity is Magnetic.

via pinterest. 

Sometimes I get criticized for being too honest on this blog.

Sometimes I get criticized for being too honest in real life. 

But, here's the thing. 

I value authenticity. 

I shouldn't have to apologize for being myself. 

I value are the real and genuine,

and I value people who are real and genuine and completely themselves. 

There is something so incredibly raw and refreshing about a person who doesn't try to be somebody they are not; someone who is comfortable in their own skin. 

One of my biggest pet peeves are people who just follow others.

I have learned that authenticity is something that is so important to me when it comes to my friendships and relationships. If someone isn't being authentic, I find I cannot connect or relate to them. It's as if I can see right through their insecurities or judgements or fakeness. 

It's almost like I can tell that they are trying to hard or not really being themselves, and I don't want to connect with them on that deeper level. 

I have had parent teacher conferences the past two days.

I had a parent tell me this evening, "You know what I love about you as a teacher? You don't try to be someone you're not. You are a fantastic teacher, but the students know that you are real. They know that you love them, that you support them, that you make mistakes, and that you don't take any crap from them. I think it's awesome." 

In that moment, her child became my favorite student. Hahaha. Just kidding.

But in all seriousness, it's true. 

I think one of the most important things we can be, as humans, is ourselves. 

If you are a genuinely happy person all of they time, be a genuinely happy person.

If you are an emotional person, allow yourself to be emotional.

If you are a loud person, be a loud person.

If you are an artistic person, be an artistic person.

I try to be whoever I am, especially in this whole blogging world. 

I try my hardest to be consistent, but I am not.

Some nights I just can't get to the posts or emails or comments or sponsorships or business requests.

And thats okay. 

If you are not a consistent blogger, that's okay. Be an inconsistent one.

If you are a craft blogger, be a craft blogger.

If you are a mom blogger, be a mom blogger.

If you are a blogger who writes about everything, like me, then do that. 

You do what makes you authentic and real and what works for you on your site. 

Guess what? It is YOURS. 

People love to read YOUR blog. YOUR writing.

Be authentic and real and people will keep reading. 

That's what I have found, at least. 

You will ALWAYS do something that others don't like. Someone is always going to be critiquing, criticizing, or disliking you, but that should not stop you from walking to the beat of your own drum (that's an idiom in case you are wondering. I talked about that with my students today #teacherlife). 

You do your thing, people. 

I got your back. 

From the wise words of Sheryl Crow, 

"If it makes you happy, it can't be that baaaaaad."