Upon contemplating my life from a point of view of authenticity, I can say that there were many different periods in life all of which were different. During some periods I experienced states of wholeness and deep connectedness with an inner source. At other times, when I made my decisions based on fear or others’ advice, I often felt as if I was betraying my deep inner being, my center, my core. At this particular moment, I can say that I attempt to live every day authentically. I often use an imaginative process to model different situations and choose the option which I feel most comfortable with.

For example, when I was applying to university I was faced with choosing my professional path. During this particular period it seemed that everyone around wanted to give me some piece of valuable advice. At one point, I felt like I could not hear myself anymore. Moreover, it felt like the external talk became internal.

During such moments, when I feel overloaded with information or “lost”, I look for a quiet place where I can be by myself. This can be somewhere in nature or at home. During these moments I prefer to sit down and close my eyes. With the TV and phone off, I go to a place which I call my center, my core. In this quiet and peaceful state I ask myself what I really want and the answer is usually there.

In living an authentic life, I believe the most important part is to balance between social life and time spent alone. In my case, it is during the latter moments that I can connect with my inner voice and hear what it is saying. From this inner voice comes valuable advice that directs me toward my unique, authentic choices. In most cases, I rely on this voice and it never leads me astray. Hence, I can conclude that I am living an authentic life.

No doubt I make mistakes sometimes – we all do, but these are my mistakes, I own them. I find this one of the most beautiful experiences of human existence – owning my life with all of its ups and downs. Therefore, I strongly value the idea of authenticity.