Mirella De Civita-

The ritual of New Year's resolutions marked my student years with clockwork precision. Each January 1st, I would meticulously outline three objectives, tracking my progress weekly and conducting a ruthless mid-year evaluation of my achievements. But as my educational journey drew to a close, something shifted. My focus turned inward, from external benchmarks to a more profound question: What am I made of?

On the surface, the answer seemed straightforward—a composite of family history, educational credentials, and lived experiences. Yet something more elusive lurked beneath these obvious markers of identity. This question of essence has persisted, leading me to a radical experiment for the coming year: living with complete authenticity.

But let me be clear—my understanding of authenticity diverges sharply from popular self-help wisdom. The Cambridge Dictionary defines authenticity as "the quality of being real or true." This raises the crucial question: True to what, or to whom? Authenticity isn't about being universally liked or maintaining a consistently pleasant demeanor. It's about honoring the original essence of our experiences and relationships with people, situations, and objects.

This year, I'm embarking on a potentially disruptive journey to embrace this deeper authenticity—expressing my genuine thoughts and feelings, unfiltered by social expectations. This path may ruffle feathers. Some might find my honesty jarring, perhaps even interpret it as unkindness. But I'm curious: Is true authenticity possible in our socially constructed world? And what happens when we dare to find out?

Join me on this journey of discovery. In a few months, I'll share whether this experiment in radical authenticity has transformed or derailed my relationships—or perhaps both.