My Answer to Life’s Most Important Question

I looked back to my past
and asked my younger self,
“Who am I?”

I was simply a young teen
full of curiosity and
understanding
what it meant
to be.

In reflection—
I was simply
being me.

And now in the fullness of
my present self,
when I ask
“Who am I?”

I am
the same thing.

Simply —
though older,
though wiser,
— still complete,
and completely
being me.

And now,
when I cast
my view to the future

in awe of all of what I see,
when I ask,
“Who am I?”

my wiser, older self smiles back—
in all my fullness...
still simply
being
me.

Embracing Your Personal Dreams:
A Pathway to Authenticity

In a world that pressures conformity, staying true is the ultimate game.

Emmerson told us this years ago,
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”

From an early age, we encounter various external influences that shape our beliefs, values, and aspirations. Parents, peers, teachers, authority figures; they all play a role in instilling societal expectations on us.

They gave us a ‘safe map’ and told us to, ‘walk the prescribed pathway’. However, amidst these pressures there’s a pull to create a new expression —a unique desire.

The etymology of ‘desire’ means ‘of the stars’—

Since you are made of stardust,
in pursuing your desires,
you are literally
discovering
yourself.

When we embrace our personal dreams and ambitions, we tap into our authentic selves. Our dreams reflect our deepest desires — the very essence that make us individuals.

By pursuing these dreams despite societal pressures to conform, we honor ourselves and the path
EVERY.
SINGLE.
PERSON.
has been called to:

the Creator’s path of authenticity.

Or put another way, to be the author of your life’s story.

Integrating Inner and Public Identities:
Finding Harmony Within

One of the key challenges in staying true to oneself is finding harmony between your inner identity and the public persona you present to the world.

Two pieces of advice I’ve given myself that have kept me on my path:

1. “Don’t be a persona. Rather, be a character, true and sure from your Source.”

A persona is ‘an assumed character, a mask, or false face.’

Rather, let your character be true within and without.

2. “The Universe holds no ill will to me, and I hold no ill will to the Universe.”

This is an assumption, however, this belief is based on the wise words of many who’ve lived long before I arrived on the stage of life.

Society often expects you to fit within a certain mold or conform to a specific role. However, until you ‘know yourself’ and ‘trust yourself’, this will lead to conflict.

In literature, one definition of conflict is having ‘a difference of wants, needs, or expectations.’

Predetermine in your mind, life’s constrictions add to your creative expressions.

Throughout history, many different cultures have said this in many different ways.

Love what is, then in collaboration with the Universe,
work to create what will be.

Yes, there will be continual tension between your being and society’s perceptions and actions towards you.

To which you say ‘thank you’, and continue to move.

Why?

Growth only happens when there is tension.

(And yes, you need the alleviation of tension too. That’s where recovery happens.)

Learn to control what you can control and integrate your inner and public identities. Then align your actions with your values while working within societal norms when necessary.

By finding this balance between self-expression and social pressures, you can maintain authenticity in the pursuit of personal and Divine/Universal growth.

Actively Create Your Authentic Self:
The Power of Self-Discovery

Rather than passively succumbing to societal pressures or blindly accepting predefined identities imposed upon you, actively create your authentic self empowers you with agency over who you’ll become.

It involves embarking on a journey of self-discovery – exploring different aspects of yourselves through expectations, experiences, and reflection.

By actively engaging in this process of self-creation, you shed societal expectations that do not align with your true self.

This requires courage, resilience, and a willingness to challenge the status quo.

Ultimately, it is through this active pursuit of authenticity that you lead a fulfilled life AND, more importantly, inspire others to do the same.

In conclusion, staying true to oneself in a world that pressures conformity is undoubtedly challenging. And that’s the point.

The game of life wouldn’t be fun unless it were effortful.

So here are my words of encouragement.

Continue to:

• fully pursue your desires — as they align with Nature, the Community, a Greater Power, collective consciousness, God’s Plan, — however you want to frame it.
• integrate your inner and public identity, and
• actively create your authentic self,

in doing so, you’ll approach the tension of life with grace and resilience.

Your journey towards your authenticity is unique to you. I’m wishing you all the best as you embrace it wholeheartedly and inspire others along the way.