ROOTED & RISING: Why I Lead With Authenticity, Not Approval & Champion Instead of Compete
- Aug 4
- 4 min read
By Lauren Bronson Petrous
It took breaking to rise.
For years, I walked into rooms - boardrooms, client offices, social events - sensing the unspoken script. Be polished. Be pleasing. Be perfect. I played the role well. But underneath the performance was a gnawing question: Will this be enough? Will I be enough, if I show up as me?
That script no longer holds my voice.
Today, I lead a company that helps mission-driven leaders rise with clarity, courage, and conviction. But I didn’t get here by collecting applause or seeking approval. I got here by letting go. I walked away from a high-status corporate career. I chose substance over approval and let resonance matter more than response. I chose discomfort over conformity - and purpose over performance. Because approval is a cheap substitute for conviction. But authenticity? That holds its value – when everything else fades.
FROM PERFORMANCE TO PURPOSE
Living authentically isn’t just about “being yourself.” It’s about being rooted in who you are.
Before the accolades, before the expectations, before the pressure to prove. It means leading with integrity, even when it’s quieter than the crowd. Even when it costs you.
My turning point came when I stopped building a life around who the world expected me to be. I did the scary work of looking in mirror and being brave enough to identify both the beautiful and strong as well as the ugly and broken. I did the work by going to therapy, studying, getting coaching and rebuilding from who I was created to be.
I built a life and business that reflects my boldness and depth. Through my company, Boundless & Co., I now help women and leaders around the globe do the same. Equipping them to live and lead with the kind of power that doesn’t perform but transforms.
THE APPROVAL TRAP
You’ve heard the phrase: All that glitters isn’t gold. Well, let me tell you - not all that’s gold glitters.
Authenticity won’t always get you the job offer. It won’t guarantee the invite. It might not win over the crowd. But it will give you something even more valuable: security even if. Confidence, even if. Peace, even when.
That’s what I help women build: a life rooted in internal clarity, not external validation. Their values. Their voice. Their vision. Because chasing approval is easy. Rooted leadership? Living rooted in who you are? That’s brave.
WORTH THAT DOESN'T WAVER
Here’s a question I often pose to clients: If I crumple a $100 bill and toss it on the ground, does its value change? If I spit on it, or it’s thrown in the trash - do you still want it? Of course you do. Because it’s worth isn’t determined by perception. Neither is yours.
When you're rooted in your worth, unmoved by applause, untouched by opinion -you soar. Not because others lifted you, but because you finally found ground that doesn't shake.
DEFINING AUTHENTICITY
But we also need to clear up a common misconnection. Authenticity isn’t a permission slip to be lazy in how you treat others or reactive. Excusing poor behavior with a “this is just who I am” is not authenticity. It’s you wielding it as a shield to not own and not grow.
True authenticity is about alignment. It’s about knowing who you are, who you’re becoming, and aligning your words, values and actions accordingly. While also having the emotional intelligence to discern what’s appropriate and that not everyone gets access to every part of you.
Authentic leaders aren’t emotionally impulsive. They are emotionally anchored and mature. They live and lead authentically because their words, actions, calendars reflect what they say they value and believe.
ROOTED WOMEN RISE & THEY CHAMPION OTHERS
The woman who is rooted in her identity doesn’t need to compete, she champions. She doesn’t shrink in comparison; she celebrates. She knows her worth doesn’t diminish in the presence of another woman’s brilliance.
Historically, women have been silenced, sidelined, and erased. When we compare and compete, we dishonor the sacrifices of the women who came before us.
We dishonor the ones who paved the way for us to lead, vote, speak, earn, own, and rise. Sis, take your eyes off a perceived competitor. Instead, stand tall on the shoulders of the ones who broke ground so you could build something. Do something with it and bring other women with you. That’s how change happens. That’s how revolution begins.
THIS IS OUR MOMENT
Social media has distorted our natural desire to belong. Belonging has been confused with popularity. Purpose has been confused with platform. Leadership has been confused with visibility.
We need women who lead from within. Women more lit by purpose than liked by the crowd.
Each year, I choose a word to anchor my vision. For 2025, that word is Renaissance—a French word meaning rebirth. And that’s exactly what I believe we’re witnessing: a rebirth of women rising with authenticity over approval, conviction over conformity, and courage over comparison.
If you’re unsure who you are beneath the roles and expectations, you’re not alone. Many women start there. I did. Get the support you need. Do the inner work. Stand tall on the shoulders of those who came before you and be rooted enough to take other women with you.
I invite you into your own renaissance. Your rebirth. May you rise.
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