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Who would you be if there were no negative consequences to showing up as your authentic self? Ritu Bhasin joins Corey Andrew Powell on this week’s Motivational Mondays podcast to discuss her journey to discover her true self and the impact of leadership that embraces authenticity.
Bhasin is an authenticity and social justice advocate, life coach, and inclusion expert driven to help people live empowered lives. She joins Powell to discuss her new book “We’ve Got This: Unlocking the Beauty of Belonging” and how everyone can start their own journey to discover their authentic selves today.
Bhasin is no stranger to the difficulty of being true to one’s self in a society shaped by systemic inequities. Growing up in an immigrant, Sikh family in a mostly-white neighborhood in Canada, Bhasin saw firsthand the effects of prejudice and bias. In her conversation with Powell, she tells the story of how she resolved her inner conflicts in response to her situation and how she built the self-awareness and authenticity that she sees as essential for strong leaders.
Leaders must examine their own internal biases about others, but they must also go beyond these biases to interrogate the “systemic inequities that are entrenched across every system and structure and society in our workplaces in order to create environments where everyone can experience belonging.”
But what is “belonging,” truly?
After spending years learning to “fit in” via code switching, Bhasin recognized that fitting in is not the same as belonging. Fitting in means changing things about oneself and masking. It is a performance, in fact, one which can lead to confusion, spiritual loss, and a sense of brokenness.
Belonging, on the other hand, “happens when we are accepted and honored for who we really are.” Bhasin offers her own definition of belonging, and she and Powell discuss why authentic workplaces are so essential to creating effective organizations.
Bhasin’s journey took her to India where she studied yoga, trained to become a yoga instructor, and learned how to care for her body and mind. Don’t worry, though; you don’t need to travel halfway across the world to start your journey towards self acceptance and authenticity.
Step number one is to determine how your authentic self would show up if there were no negative consequences for your actions. This includes how you speak, how you dress, how you set boundaries, and more.
Many people know the answer to this question but don’t know how to make it manifest in their lives. For those who are so caught up in the performance that they struggle to determine their own answers, Bhasin offers free Empower Pages to practice self-reflection.
Step number two brings us back to the basics: body awareness.
Most people spend more time with their minds than with their bodies. Bhasin asserts that the body “is a powerful anchor to help you decide what you want, how to act, and how to show up in any given moment.”
When we tune into what our body is feeling about any situation or person, we can learn to rely on our inner knowledge. This is what Bhasin calls our “core power,” and it can help us learn to recognize our body’s cues.
And as Bhasin asserts, “We’ve got this.” Listen to learn more about Bhasin’s journey and her advice for creating authenticity both personally and professionally.
[0:54] The inspiration for Bhasin’s book, “We’ve Got This”
[4:15] Bhasin shares attributes of her Sikh/Punjabi culture
[10:24] Their culture is rooted in fashion and beauty
[12:06] Bhasin’s experience facing racism in Canada
[17:06] Bhasin shares what code-switching is
[22:43] Bhasin recounts rediscovering her true self in India
[29:02] Take these steps to start resetting your life
Listen to the bonus episode to learn Bhasin’s most important takeaway from yoga and practices for more effective deep breathing.
Resources:
Read Bhasin’s book, “We Got This: Unlocking the Beauty of Belonging”
Watch her videos on YouTube
Read Bhasin’s first book, “The Authenticity Principle: Resist Conformity, Embrace Differences, and Transform How You Live, Work, and Lead”
Listen to other Motivational Mondays episodes