Do you live an Authentic Life?

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What really is an ‘Authentic Life’?

The word authentic, an adjective, is defined by Random House dictionary as:

1. not false or copied, genuine, real, an authentic antique.
2. having the origin support by unquestionable evidence, authenticated, verified an authentic document of the middle ages; an authentic work of the old master.
3. entitled to acceptance or belief because of agreement with known facts or experience, reliable,  trustworthy: an authentic report.

The origin of the word as provided by the Online Etymology Dictionary is:

 mid-14c., “authoritative,” from O.Fr. autentique (13c.), from M.L. authnticus from Gk. authentikos “original, genuine, principal, “from  authentes “one acting on one’s own authority, “from autos “self” + hentes “doer, being”. Sense of ” entitled to acceptance as factual” is first recorded mid 14c. Authentic implies that the contents of the thing in question correspond to the facts and are not fictitious, genuine, implies that the reputed author is the real one. Related: Authenticity (1650s, in form authentity).

 If one just takes a slow and deliberate look at nature, how could there be a denial of a power, a creative force in this world that is far greater than any other force mankind coud create? It doesn’t matter what one chooses to call this power, this energy but not to acknowledge it is impossible. Could this be the ‘authentic’ world? The real thing that came before humanity? Has nature compromised itself to accommodate mankind? The answer is an emphatic NO.

Then why, as an individual, a living breathing human being, would you want to compromise who you really are for anyone, in any type of relationship?

Why Live An Authentic Life?

What are the benefits of living an Authentic Life? One example would be the situation where by you are constantly giving or doing for another – never having the time for yourself, much less your dreams. If you look at that behavior closely, you may discover that you really do all that because you don’t feel worthy of being loved and taken care of – either by yourself or by another. This keeps a lot of people out of relationships. As a result most people become martyrs. You know the story, “I have done so much for them and they just take me for granted!” and then, of course, comes the feel sorry for me routine. Now that sounds pretty harsh – and it is – but it is the truth of what many people do in order to hide from their authentic selves. Hide from who they really are; how they really feel; what they really want in their lives.

How much happier could one be if they took the time to discover their authentic self? Now this is not to say that it is an easy task. It takes a lot of courage and a lot of perseverance. How much you ask? That all depends upon what life is like for you now and how sick and tired you are of being sick and tired of how your life is going.

How Can We Live an Authentic Life?

Now answering this question is a challenge in itself. Each person is a unique being unto themselves and as such will have their own perspectives of what is going on and how it all came about. However, there are Universal Laws that are in operation at all times that never fail. Take a look at gravity – do you ever pay any attention to how gravity works or is it just there operating without you even being conscious of it. This is true of all the Universal Laws – they work whether or not we acknowledge them. However, being ignorant of these Laws is not an excuse for anything that is operating in your life right now.

To live this authentic life is to learn the Universal Laws and how they operate. This does not mean that you need to go back to school and study biology or chemistry or algebra. It simply means to become aware of what results come from what actions you choose to perform. Notice the word “choose”. Bottom line, everything in life is a choice and depending on what choice you make, will depend on the outcome of the situation in your life. Sounds to easy doesn’t it? This is where the courage and the perseverance come in. It takes a lot to be totally honest with yourself and to take the full responsibility for your own actions and choices.

The human ego will lie to us and tell us “It’s the other guy” when in fact it is truly ourselves that are creating the situations present in our life now. Sometimes the situation turns out to be an agreement to experience something with another person for their benefit and not yourself – you’re just there to help them through the situation. Times like these can be very challenging times to be able to see clearly what is really happening.

This is where I come in. If during this personal search you need a “guiding light” please contact me. I am here to help you with this growth process as you transition from the unknown to the truth of your being – Your Authentic Self.

“The reason the ego and love are not compatible comes down to this:
you cannot take your ego into the unknown, where love wants to lead.
If you follow love, your life will become uncertain, and the ego craves certainty.”

- Deepak Chopra, Author -