Authentic

A while ago I decided I would be

The most authentic version of me

I would live life on terms that were my own

I would reap the fruits of seeds I had sown

So I worked hard on shutting off external noise

Tuned in to myself to find my authentic voice

Tried to distance myself from herd mentality

And started living life with intentionality

*

I seemed to be making the right moves, and yet

No reward for my efforts I seemed to get

I had thought being authentic would be the key

To my being successful eventually

But that was definitely not the case

The disappointing reality I had to face

Was that success was continuing to elude me

I was stuck in my own bed of authenticity..

*

One day it finally dawned on me-

That even though I was living life differently

My expectations were the same as before

I craved for recognition more

And therein the problem did lie

I wanted my work to be in others’ eyes

My “authenticity” was not authentic after all

In the same old trap I had managed to fall

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If I am on a path of authenticity

My measure of success should not be

Judged by a yardstick others have applied

Both progress and success, I myself should decide