I woke up this Sunday morning to so many beauties. The first snow fall of the season. All my left over blooms from September are dowsed in slushy snow, along with a white layer on my neighborhood. I've been down with a bad cold, but it couldn't stop me. I bundled up and went for a walk. As I walked alone on the quiet Sunday streets, I thought about living an authentic life. I read one of my dear friend's posts this morning and felt so much love for her and her husband's relationship and their growing family. These two are authentic in every thing that they do, and I encourage each of you to read her beautiful tribute. it will brighten your morning (the post dated 10/12).
Yesterday, as I was looking at my site meter, I saw someone from Pakistan had googled "find my soul mate" and they came upon that post I did a few months ago. Another person from Greece googled "I've found my soul mate and he is 30 years older than I am" and I felt happy that she had found her soul mate, but I really wondered what she thought google could give to her. So many random things typed into google every day--is that where we go to find life's answers these days? I have wondered that, does Google have all the answers to our questions? So, I decided to give it a try. I googled "Authentic Living."
Here are a few great links I found:
Authentic Living: Creating a Life You Love
What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?
Who are you, really – and how can you be that unique expression of yourself?
We live in a world that is calling us into a search for authenticity, a quest for balance. In our jobs, we are searching for meaning as much as money. In our relationships, we are asking for spiritual and emotional connections, not just the physical presence of another. In our families, we are looking for ways to grow happily and love deeply. In our finances, we want to spend our money mindfully, achieving abundance and moving beyond greed. In our world, we want to live in harmony with the environment. In our daily lives, we are looking for ways we can make a difference. Spiritually, we are looking for that which resonates at a soul level. In our hearts, we are looking for our essence: what makes us unique and what it is that we hold in common with others.
We are redefining what success means, moving away from traditional standards of work and money toward a more soulful life focused on personal fulfillment, social conscience, and creating the chance for a better future for everyone on the planet.
Wow, isn't that powerful? Imagine if we all just woke up and began living our lives by focusing on our spiritual connections and awakening to the power of gratitude and action?
I also found this article "Six Principles of Authentic Living"
So, my questions to you---How important is it to you to live authentically? How do you daily strive to live this way?
(And, out of curiosity....what is the craziest thing you have ever searched for on google?)
25 comments:
Thank you so much for your kind words. You don't know how much it means to me that you think we are living authentic lives. At this point, there is too much to do to assign any effort towards living an inauthentic life! I appreciate your friendship and am so glad to have you be a part of our lives.
The six princlples were really good too. I found in general I strive to live about half of those.
I loved the superhero costume designer in the Incredibles that said, "I try not to think of the past. It distracts from the now." I totally need to keep reminding myself of that.
First, researching for novels leads to weird googling--breaking a car window with a brick, how hot do you have to be to pass out, and I've googled the names of my characters. Hey, you never know.
Second, I don't really wonder if I'm living authentically. If I knew I could not fail I'd do what I'm doing--write and make art. And parent. Parenting is the one I worry the most about--the stakes are higher there it seems. But I keep writing even if no agent wants to give me the time of day.
It is a hard thing to do. For me, anyway.
Part of the problem is that I've always imagined the way I want my life to be, and when things don't turn out that way, (because they almost never do,) I feel like I'm not fully living my life.
But I have been striving to enjoy life every day, and live, as you say "authentically."
My sister shared a story about my 2 year old niece, and how she takes enjoyment out of the simple things in life, like getting the mail, counting the bathroom stalls in restrooms, and giving daddy a hug when he comes home from work. My sister shared my niece's prayer from last night. "Heavenly Father, thank you for purple Popsicles, and lotion on my toes. Amen."
Talk about living authentically.
Kia ora D'arcy,
I am trying to simply be genuine in all my actions and interactions. Which is much harder than it reads if we really are truthful, or at least if I am. I am trying to be cognizant of recognizing the beauty, or some beauty, and the possibility of each day, or parts of it. While also trying to be aware of how much is out of kilter with how so many of us live, how some have so much, and some so little, how we treat the earth, and each other. Tough to combine the two sometimes so I am trying for the approach suggested by Edward Abbey of being half a fanatic about the wrongs of the world, and keeping half for myself to appreciate the goodness of it.
Aroha,
Robb
Great post. I have always had a desire to live authentically (we don't take on teaching to get rich), but it's harder in day to day practice. Going through a serious illness put things in perspective too.
The one thing that keeps me from living a completely autentic life is my annoying desire to please everyone...to be liked by everyone. I am not nearly as bad as I used to be. I am getting to the point where I can talk myself out of it, and say, "Who cares what they think?" and walk away, but every now and then, I get self-conscious and I'll find myself picking out my outfit for the day based on who I will see. Or I find myself saying something i really don't believe just to fit in with those around me in the moment--even perfect strangers.
I am hoping that one day, all of my inner-dialogues will finally kick in and I'll wake up for once and not care what any other human being thinks about me--whether or not they think I'm wierd (I am!) or bumbling (who cares if I am!) or boobless (maybe my husband cares if i am) or wrinkled. But that someday I'll be 100% okay with all of it. Now I am about 80%okay with it. In my teens I used to be 0% okay with it. So, definitely making progess!
Dear D'Arcy
Cool post and one which hits home for me.
Authenticity is really quite simple. Its being ourselves and being happy with who we are and what we are about.
When I am in the center of a roaring river fly fishing I am as authentic as I can get. I am one with the world around me, in tune and unfurled.
Wisdom is about being comfortable with who we are, by being authentic in our ideas and our actions.
And when we meet someone or something that is authentic, it is attractive and comfortable like Ophelia's hiking boots (see Ophelia's boots on her web site). It fits, it feels right, its good.
And it does not get any better than that.
I've been working on my authenticity by rediscovering my creativity, by integrating creativity into my everyday living.
I've been working on authenticity by paying attention to the joy of little children, instead of the mess and the work and responsibility.
I've been trying to exist in the moment and not fall prey to anxiety.
I've been trying to remember to take breaks and relax and not feel like I have to gogogo all the time.
Interestingly, whenever one aspect seems authentically rolling along, another hits major road blocks.
So looking to have balance. Always.
D'Arcy, authenticity is SO needed these days. ESPECIALLY these days. Someone needs to take authenticity's hand and guide it out from the shadows into the light. And then introduce it to a few choice people.
It's sort of easy to spot inauthenticity - (is that a word)? - even in oneself. I can't stand when I am ingenuine, and always come away feeling badly about myself, and somehow less of a person. I try so hard to keep myself true, to be honest and good. I do stray. But for the most part, I think I do all right. It's so hard to be a person, sometimes!
I suppose that to be authentic, one must act according to one's heart and bliss - being true to oneself as well as loving others with a full heart. I think of Rowena's comment on another post, where she says that one must love oneself fully before really being able to connect with/love another. I think this is very true. So I guess a healthy self-love will be reflected in genuine actions and thoughts.
It all stems from love, in the end. It's the root for all truth and grace.
Stina, I just love you and Dave! And Theo! I can't wait to hold him next week!
Alisa, it seems the whole world is waking up to this idea. I wish I would have known it in High School...I was always SO concerned about my future that I don't know if I lived in the moment well enough! But, enough of that...it's time for a fall walk..right now.
mapelba--yes, I have googled so many odd things in the name of research...and I have never been disappointed, there is a lot to learn in this world of ours!
I also think your wise mother taught you to live your dreams from a young age. She's amazing.
beth, what an adorable prayer! I just spend some time with my little feisty, red headed niece, her attitude and attack on life and it she isn't authentic, I don't know who is!
Robb---I don't even know if you have to search for this, each of your actions shows someone taking on life at full force, yet knowing when to put in those quiet moments.
phsteacher--yes, reading your blog, through your memories and your struggles has shown me a person with authenticity, character, goals, and a joie de vivre that is catching. Thank you!
jenn--yeah we all go through that, still do. I have gotten better the past three years, but then I find myself sometimes really caring what people think about me. It's a hard balance, one I don't know if we will conquer, but like you, I feel that with age I get better and better.
Gustav, it doesn't get any better than that my friend. And I agree, authenticity attracts authenticity.
Rowena, you have been a BEAUTIFUL addition to my life this year and your authentic life and struggles and accomplishments have enriched who I strive to be. Thank you.
Ophelia, everything you write seems lyrical and singsong. I love your words, I love your creativity, and I love that I have gotten to know you better this year.
One of my favorite sayings (I've heard it from Joseph Campbell) is...Follow Your Bliss.
I hope to teach my children that, as you are teaching yours.
D'Arcy, thank you. You are so kind. I am so honored to have met you, and grateful. I hope we continue our friendship here! :)
I, too, love Joseph Campbell, and love the whole philosophy behind his, "Follow your bliss." If only I could really put it into action in my own life! I'm trying, I'm trying.
I was at a women's conference a few years back. That question was brought up by the speaker... What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? I just wrapped up a bible study with the same inquiry as the final question in our nine month journey. What would I do? My answers came quickly and with a smile:
Write.
Teach.
Speak.
I love "Abstraction!" :] Everything in it is extremely creative! Wait, it's Bee!
Much Ado About Nothing?! Ah, man! Weber's Drama Department is alright, I guess--they aren't doing anything I am interested in. Of course, Mr. Padilla is still the shining star.
Paris?! Uhhh. Lucky! I seriously want to go to France, now. I've developed a sudden obsession--please, take me, MKL! :]
D'Arcy, fabulous post as always. Authentic living seems to be a topic of conversation around here BIG TIME. I feel like I'm living authentically in most areas of life and it feels SO GOOD!! And the one area where I don't feel I'm living authentically (religiously), I feel angst. Yet, when I let go a little, I feel more spiritual than ever. I know what it's telling me; I think I'm resisting a little, but I'm getting there.
I found a blog the other day while searching for a parable for my clients. I have no idea who the person is who writes this blog but she has some wonderful insights. Here's one such post-- The Path of Least Resistance. You are an inspiration to me, D'Arcy, my friend.
P.S. I believe that link also applies to your recent post about body image, too.
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