by Sophia Tesch

Created on: February 20, 2009

An actor will ask "What's my motivation?" This is the same question to be asked when a person is seeking to live an authentic life. What motivates a decision an action? Many times life decisions are made because of external influences, making them less genuine. When one is reacting to life in ways that fulfill labels they accept from others, to fit a reality from their past, or mandates given by parents and peers inadvertently she creates a life that is less authentic and unsatisfying.

Inventory must be taken before one can live an authentic life. One must know enough about oneself in order to be able to recognize what is truly coming from the heart and is genuinely a self motivated action or decision. The motivation must be internal to be genuine and authentic. So many times people work hard to achieve a title or a level of status only to find that it did not give them the feeling of contentment they thought it would. Because their motivation was not internal, not truly their own, it doesn't fulfill their true need. The hardest obstacle to achieving this point of self awareness is to let go and not allow thoughts to live in the past or the future, thoughts must live in the moment. What is true to me right now, in my present situation? Not who I was in the past or who I think I might be in the future. What needs do I need to fulfill right now to be healthy and happy?

When taking inventory looking back to childhood can reveal clues to one's authentic self. At what times and in what circumstances were the greatest times of joy and happiness achieved? What talents are present in a person can often be determined by how they played as a child. What brought them that fire of passion and that feeling of being at the perfect place at the perfect time? These experiences may have been fleeting, yet they hold keys to the authentic self.

Once these points of truth about oneself are attained and recognized they can form the foundation of an authentic life that works. Beginning to make choices based on what is known about one's authentic self instead of perceived expectations and obligations of others that can create a moments of pride of accomplishment that is meaningful to the accomplisher. As these moments are strung together, built upon, as they become more the rule than the exception one has truly made an authentic life. Factoring in needs that must be met and how the authentic self can accomplish them is the next step to have a life that is integrated with the authentic self.

Discovering what is true about one's self, embracing the positive and negative aspects, making choices and finding situations that allow expression of who a person truly is all contributes to living an authentic life that works.

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