Authenticity simply means being true to yourself. While it sounds simple, it is not something I practiced my entire life especially right after immigrating. There was definitely a period as a pre-teen where I changed my appearance so I can try to be like everyone else. If I could write a letter to my 12 year old self - I would tell her don’t force out the Trinidadian accent, stop straightening your hair and stop hiding what you brought for lunch! That authentic self I tried so hard to hide as a pre-teen is my power today.

After attending this year’s Forbes 30 under 30 summit, there was one lesson that was echoed amongst all speakers and I’m talking about people like Suneera Madhani, Austin Russell and Kendall Jenner. Whenever they faced a difficult business or life decision, they always chose the path which they stayed true to themselves. Authenticity was key in their journey to becoming the trailblazers they are today.

Being my authentic self brought me to you and creating this space where I get to express that authenticity. I think we all face moments in life where we find ourselves wanting to choose the easier path and sometimes that path isn’t the authentic one. It was easier for me to bring the cheese and tomato sandwich for lunch rather than curry fish and rice. It doesn’t matter what decision you’re about to make, if you find yourself hiding your authenticity then it isn’t the right one. So whether you’re running a billion dollar business or deciding tomorrow’s lunch - move towards the path where you are being true to yourself.

The takeaway: there is power in authenticity.