Now that the curtain has fallen on London Fashion Week and the world of fashion mourns the death of Karl Lagerfeld we are reminded once again of the importance of image, “en vogue” since the 1980s. How to still be competitive without following trends? Easy. Discover yourself.
For better or worse our identities are always on the display even if we stay away from the demands of social media. We instinctively match body language to words and we are very wary when we see discrepancies. We trust people that "walk the talk" and tend to respect those who stick to their principles.
You might have heard the word “authenticity” countless times recently. Anything that is worth doing or expressing or even eating must be authentic. Real authenticity is a bit more complex. It is a personal style; a unique combination of our individual story and experience merged with a set of values that have grown and evolved with time, changing while staying true to themselves. Why does real authenticity matter today? In a world of diversified homogeneity and identity politics, true originality is attractive because it is unique: no two people are the same. What comes from that mix of experience and values radiates from inside and makes a real difference. It takes courage to explore our uniqueness. Some people might be worried that they lose exposure as there is a shift between external appearance (bigger house, better car, more money) to less measurable internal values. In fact the advantages of pursuing our uniqueness are far greater. It makes people more visible without trying too hard and in organisations that operate in “liquid” (ever-changing) times, it creates the diversity of approach and vision that builds resilience. Above everything else when we allow our personality to align with our sense of purpose and values, everything we do becomes an extension of our self. As a result we experience less effort in whatever we do and consequently we have more energy. Have you ever experienced that state of flow when everything comes easy and you never feel tired and are able to easily tap into your creativity?
“Know thyself” and start harnessing the power of awareness. True style is never out of fashion.
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