Authenticity really matters to our relationships and mental health. The problem is, sometimes we can’t see ways that we are limiting our own authenticity (which is why I’ve created a course to help you do just that).

But here’s an inventory that you can take a look at and assess yourself in the 4 areas that we just talked about.

Read through these questions and consider your own authenticity. Scoring information is below. (If you’d like to print it out, here’s a PDF file you can use: 

Print Here: Authenticity Inventory Printable PDF

Rate yourself from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree):

1. I am often confused about my feelings.
2. I frequently pretend to enjoy something when in actuality I really don’t.
3. For better or for worse I am aware of who I truly am.
4. I understand why I believe the things I do about myself.
5. I want people with whom I am close to understand my strengths.
6. I actively try to understand which of my self-aspects fit together to form my core or
   true self.
7. I am very uncomfortable objectively considering my limitations and shortcomings.
8. I’ve often used my silence or head nodding to convey agreement with someone else’s
   statement or position even though I really disagree.
9. I have a very good understanding of why I do the things I do.
10. I am willing to change myself for others if the reward is desirable enough.
11. I find it easy to pretend to be something other than my true self.
12. I want people with whom I am close to understand my weaknesses.
13. I find it very difficult to critically assess myself.
14. I am not in touch with my deepest thoughts and feelings.
15. I make it a point to express to close others how much I truly care for them.
16. I tend to have difficulty accepting my personal faults, so I try to cast them in a more
    positive way.
17. I tend to idealize close others rather than objectively see them as they truly are.
18. If asked, people I am close to can accurately describe what kind of person I am.
19. I prefer to ignore my darkest thoughts and feelings.
20. I am aware of when I am not being my true self.
21. I am able to distinguish those self-aspects that are important to my core or true self
    from those that are unimportant.
22. People close to me would be shocked or surprised if they discovered what I keep
    inside me.
23. It is important for me to understand my close others’ needs and desires.
24. I want close others to understand the real me rather than just my public persona or
    ‘‘image.’’
25. I try to act in a manner that is consistent with my personally held values, even if
    others criticize or reject me for doing so.
26. If a close other and I are in disagreement I would rather ignore the issue than
    constructively work it out.
27. I’ve often done things that I don’t want to do merely not to disappoint people.
28. I find that my behavior typically expresses my values.
29. I actively attempt to understand myself as best as possible.
30. I’d rather feel good about myself than objectively assess my personal limitations and
    shortcomings.
31. I find that my behavior typically expresses my personal needs and desires.
32. I rarely if ever, put on a ‘‘false face’’ for others to see.
33. I spend a lot of energy pursuing goals that are very important to other people even
    though they are unimportant to me.
34. I frequently am not in touch with what’s important to me.
35. I try to block out any unpleasant feelings I might have about myself.
36. I often question whether I really know what I want to accomplish in my lifetime.
37. I often find that I am overly critical about myself.
38. I am in touch with my motives and desires.
39. I often deny the validity of any compliments that I receive.
40. In general, I place a good deal of importance on people I am close to understanding
    who I truly am.
41. I find it difficult to embrace and feel good about the things I have accomplished.
42. If someone points out or focuses on one of my shortcomings I quickly try to block it
    out of my mind and forget it.
43. The people I am close to can count on me being who I am regardless of what setting
    we are in.
44. My openness and honesty in close relationships are extremely important to me.
45. I am willing to endure negative consequences by expressing my true beliefs about
    things.