Unveiling Your Layers: A Journey to Authentic Self-Discovery
Authenticity isn’t a destination—it’s a continuous exploration of the many selves we embody.
By Sergio Rodriguez, CPA | Fall 2024

“Sergio, you have such good energy!” Hearing this often fills me with a mix of pride and puzzlement. Sure, I love a good laugh and dance, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg of what I’m about. These compliments, as well-meaning as they may be, sometimes echo hollow. It can feel as if they’re admiring a caricature—the life-of-the-party Latino or sassy gay friend. But hey, if I’ve only shown them my sparkle, can I blame them for not seeing my shadow?
A couple of years back, I laid out my thoughts on living loud and proud as a Latino and LGBTQIA+ certified public accountant (CPA) in the fall 2022 Insight article, “The Value of Unapologetic Authenticity.” Since then, I’ve dove deeper into what it means to be authentic to myself, and I’ve realized authenticity is about more than just wearing your identity like a badge—it’s about embracing the untold stories, unseen battles, and unshared dreams we all have.
Here, I want to share parts of my self-discovery story in hope it inspires others who may find themselves in similar situations or with similar feelings to set out on their own self-discovery journey (and know they aren’t alone).
NAVIGATING THE STEREOTYPES
One aspect of self-discovery and living authentically that can easily go overlooked is how we deal with stereotypes. Specifically, it’s so important to look at the parts of ourselves we feel compelled to either amplify to fit in or minimize to avoid conflict. It can be a delicate balancing act, choosing which parts of ourselves to highlight in order to connect and be accepted in places where people might not fully see or value all that we are.
For me, I’ve found that I sometimes cranked up the “spicy Latino” energy or leaned into the “witty gay friend” persona. The reality is, doing that is like putting on a brightly colored mask; sure, it’s protective, but it’s not authentic and it can be exhausting. However, it begs the question: Will people still appreciate me without these amplified personas?
The reality is that this act of amplification isn’t about denying my true self; rather, it’s about adapting parts of my identity to fit into a more widely accepted or recognizable framework. It serves as a survival tactic in environments where being noticed often depends on conforming to certain stereotypes. Essentially, it was my way of saying, “Hey, I’m here!” in spaces where I otherwise felt overlooked, even if it meant leaning on the oversimplified versions of myself.
CONFRONTING THE BATTLES BENEATH
Beneath the vibrant persona that my friends and colleagues were familiar with, there was a more nuanced reality. This contrasted sharply with the image of Sergio they’d known for years. In the fall of 2023, I began to navigate some significant personal challenges, including managing increased depression and anxiety, which made everyday tasks feel more daunting. There were mornings when the simple act of getting out of bed required extra effort and days when routine activities felt overwhelming.
The discrepancy between my internal experiences and the outward persona I’d carefully curated led to a cycle of stress. Maintaining this image became an exhausting endeavor, deepening feelings of isolation and disconnect from my true self. Opening up about these challenges was terrifying, but it ended up bringing me closer to the people I opened up to, showing me (and hopefully them) that it’s OK to be a work in progress no matter where you are in your life. My mental health is as much a part of my authentic self as my love for Spanish pop music and my knack for helping clients understand their tax returns.
EMBRACING MY ROOTS
Journeying back to my Latin roots has been nothing short of a revival. It started with a deep dive into Costa Rican literature, where I immersed myself in the words and worlds created by writers who share similar backgrounds as myself. I made a playful, yet profound decision to tell my friends, “I’m only listening to music in Spanish from now on.” This was a deliberate choice to surround myself with the rhythms and lyrics that echo my heritage, a way to keep my culture pulsing through my everyday life.
Amidst this journey of self-discovery, I made a significant change in how I introduce myself. I no longer say, “SER-gee-oh.” Instead, I honor its original pronunciation: “SER-hio” (with that soft “h” sound). I’ve also become more deliberate in my written expressions. A simple example of this is using “jaja” instead of “haha” in my laughs over texts. Though it may seem like a small detail, each “jaja” reconnects me to the lush valleys of Costa Rica where I was raised.
Saying my name the way it was meant to be said, diving into the traditions and tales of my ancestors, and bringing Latin music and expressions back into my life have been incredibly empowering. It’s not merely about reclaiming my narrative; it’s about confronting and challenging the narratives that attempt to diminish or oversimplify my rich history and culture.
REALIZING THE POWER OF CITIZENSHIP
Officially becoming a United States citizen this year was another watershed moment for me. It gave me a sense of belonging I hadn’t realized I was missing. Far from a simple legal formality, it became a profound revelation, as if I was granted “official” permission to embody my most authentic self, unchained and fearless. It was surprising how this legal affirmation unlocked parts of my identity I hadn’t fully realized were suppressed, as I imagine it may be for others pursuing citizenship. Aspects of my persona—nuances of speech, cultural expressions, and spontaneous bursts of dance—began to emerge more freely with my newfound freedom. That piece of paper affirmed that I officially belonged.
Of course, this stage of my journey has been a bit ironic, too. While gaining U.S. citizenship, I’ve also felt the most “Latino” I’ve been since leaving Costa Rica all those years ago. I’ve never been prouder of where I come from, and I’m all-in on sharing that joy and pride with the world.
Reflecting on the last few years, I’ve come to see that authenticity isn’t a destination—it’s a continuous exploration of the many selves we embody. Embracing authenticity is about more than just sharing our stories; it’s about forging connections that transcend our individual experiences, pushing us toward a world that values every facet of our identities. I’ve learned to not only embrace all parts of my story, including those I once concealed, but also to understand the profound impact of genuine recognition from others. These moments of acknowledgment (“we love your energy”) aren’t merely superficial; they’re affirmations of my true self. Every acknowledgment and every connection are steps toward fully realizing the authentic self that exists beyond the roles and masks we wear.
So, here I am, Sergio Rodriguez: CPA by day, and by all other times, just Sergio—complex, multifaceted, and still learning to navigate the depths of my identity. My journey is mine alone, but it’s one I share in the hope that it might inspire others to peel back their own layers.
Illinois CPA Society member Sergio Rodriguez, CPA, is a senior manager at Deloitte in Chicago, where he leads with a passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and continues to explore the depths of authenticity, driven by the transformative power of shared stories and experiences.
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