Sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic in Austin, with live music, laughter, and the smell of coffee and barbecue on every corner, I felt the weight of all the ways I’d been stuck trying to show up for others.

The week before, I asked my writing group: how do you invite readers in so they resonate with what you’re saying? Copywriters do this effortlessly, they mirror a reader’s inner world, naming their desires and fears so they feel seen and understood.

A friend responded, “That would be a fantastic Litquake panel question.”

I asked ChatGPT the same thing but its answers didn’t satisfy my curiosity. Why did I feel compelled to write for others, when my words usually come from places I’ve personally wrestled with? I thought I’d find the answer in theory, but life had a way of showing me.

While there, I felt the tension of trying to show up for others while holding my own energy. There was laughter, deep conversation, and sparks of inspiration—but also moments of overwhelm: off my routines and sitting with emotions I couldn’t quite place or release.

At dinner one night, a friend spoke about authenticity as if it were simple— just stating your truth and being seen. I noticed the contrast between us: her energy is crisp, direct, and extraordinarily clear. In that moment, I felt my own messy, layered, fluid version more vividly than ever: sometimes bright and social, other times quiet, serious, or apprehensive. All of it was me.

And that’s when it clicked—authenticity isn’t just one way. It can be crisp and direct and layered and exploratory.

I realized I don’t want to just resonate with people, I want to move them. Resonance reflects what they already know; movement invites them into something new.

What I want—what I do as a coach—is inspire. To create a spark that invites people closer toward themselves and greater possibilities. To move people, you have to show up fully in your energy, your mess, your contradictions….and hold that energy, even when the world doesn’t meet you there.

Experiencing my own messy, layered energy in Austin (and in my writing) has shown me what real authenticity requires—and that it’s not just one thing. It has two faces: the Sparkle and the Depth.

Sparkle is the lightness—the energy that draws attention, sparks curiosity, and ignites possibility. Depth is the foundation—the capacity to sit with reality, ask the hard questions, and allow truth to transform you on its own timeline.

We all carry both. Some of us naturally lead with Sparkle—clarity, confidence, direction. Others with Depth—sensitivity, curiosity, reflection.

Both are essential. Sparkle without Depth leads to burnout because there’s no root to sustain the light. Depth without Sparkle leads to stagnation—you can get lost in the layers—seeing everything, but not moving anywhere.

But wholeness comes when they meet. Sparkle catches your attention and brings life; Depth pulls you closer and gives it meaning. Together, they create magnetic authenticity.

Authenticity is your energy, your life force, your gift. Not everyone will meet you there- and that’s okay. The point isn’t to be mirrored; it’s to be true. To choose presence over pleasing, clarity over comfort, fire over freezing.

Maybe you’re here, reading this, because you’re craving that fullness too, the version of “real” that lights you up and grounds you at the same time.