Are you authentically your true self?  This was one of the side bar messages from an article I read earlier today.  Through the course of the article, it explored the topic of how we should be who we are, no more and no less.  The last part of no more or less, I thought was very important to reflect upon.  When we try to be more than who we are, it can come across as not being genuine, having a hidden agenda or perhaps hiding behind a mask.  If people pretend to have more than what they have, or feel that they are less than due to not having as much as others, may cause  a lot of ill harbored feelings.  When we want to impress others by material things, that usually doesn't work out to well either, because what follows is that infamous syndrome of having to keep up with your assumed standard of living.  Having enough in those situations is always an uphill battle, as those individuals seem to play an ongoing game of needing more in order to show it off.  When you think about it, this becomes a job unto itself and nobody has that kind of time anyway.  Conversely, being less than who you really are can also have its downfalls.  If you feel that you are less than who you are authentically, it can also cause feelings relating to poor self esteem, inadequacy or that you should settle for the life that you have, as it could not get any better.  I have always believed that we should live up to a higher expectation for ourselves, as we are given the opportunities to grow through out our lifetime to reach them.  The one thing that is known about our lives is that there is no end to our personal growth until our time is up on this Earth.  I know that I always learn something new almost daily and because information is at my fingertips via the internet and other forms of media, there is plenty to select from.  Being our true self, automatically attracts the people that we want into our lives.  Without great effort, we can enjoy who we are and not work extra hard at something that we are not.  What also comes with living genuinely is that you will probably sleep better at night, as your subconscious does not have to fight with the real you when you get up in the morning.  Let go of any hang ups that you may have that can cause you to feel that you need to fill something inside of you, that is materialistic in nature versus the simpleness of who you are.  Strive for balance and as you reach your goal of living up to being your authentic self, you will find that the circle of people around you will be filled with value added individuals that will keep your life moving forward.