Thinking about authenticity as Women’s History Month nears the end

Earlier today I was browsing old stories by one of my favorite authors, Olga Kahzan, and I ended up finding one Reddit thread she started five years ago, right before the release of her book about the science of nonconformity. The thread was archived, but the posts are insightful:

"We love to conform, we like to fit in," Kahzan said in one of the comments. "It feels good and tickles our dopamine receptors. We like to be liked, and to be thought of as doing the "right thing." And for the most part this is a good thing! The problem is when the crowd starts doing something really effed up, and you're still following it."

As I write this post about the latest episode of the Speaking of Phenomenal podcast, where host Amy Boyle embarks on a solo reflection on authenticity, I can't help but smile in gratefulness for the coincidence (or providence?).

In the episode, Amy highlights four past guests, each with a definition of what being phenomenal means. For Maryam Myika Day, it's about "showing up as yourself" and "leading with your heart." Laura Jordan LeClair describes it as "living every day with a purpose," "connecting to your core values" and "soaking in the moments that make you happy."

From a more future-driven perspective, Jeanne Sparrow's check for being phenomenal involves one question: "What kind of ancestor will you be?" Finally, Delores Morton said that to be phenomenal is to be authentic, "but not doing it alone."

So many things to think about. Our character, personality, people we know and care about, what we can do better. As we revisit who we are and who we want to be, it can be hard to tell if we just want to fit in or if our desires for improvement come from an authentic and genuine concern for others and the world.

As the episode ends, Amy asks us four practical questions that can guide us as we examine how authentic we are, or try to be: Am I living by my values? Am I allowing myself joy? Am I lifting others as I rise? What kind of ancestor will I be?

Maybe you're thinking about people you love (besides yourself) as you read this. People who might find these questions helpful. Maybe you’ll feel compelled to share the episode or this post with them. That’s a nice gesture, for sure. But what if your authentic self went beyond that? What if you remained at their side while they tried to find the answers?

Carolina Baldin is a freelance journalist from Brazil. Having worked in law, policy and regulation, she is passionate about everyday stories that illustrate larger issues. She graduated from a master's program at Northwestern University in 2023 and became a guest blogger on the "Speaking of Phenomenal" podcast blog in March 2024.