living authentically

an unself-conscious violinistmy friend evan has just launched a new project, living authentically. authenticity has long been an important topic for him, and i’m looking forward to seeing how he goes even deeper into it. here’s a bit about the project:

the book
the living authentically book i wrote with my partner. it is a guide to living with authenticity. it is 130 pages in hard copy pages and contains many practical exercises for each of the eight stages of authentic living. it also explains in depth each stage of the process of living authentically.

the course
the membership course is forty emails – five a week for eight weeks. each week is devoted to one stage of living authentically. after an introduction the emails are primarily devoted to guided experiences of that stage of living authentically. each stage deals with the physical, emotional, mental, spiritual and social aspects of the stage. the course is also supported by a student only forum where you can ask questions and discuss the course with me and other students.

… and there’s more, here on evan’s new site.

in announcing this site, evan asks some questions, and i’d like to pose a few of them to you.

what major benefits does living authentically offer you and others you know?

my immediate reaction to that is: freedom. freedom to live without the burden of a mask that is worn involuntarily (i see nothing wrong with temporarily putting on a mask if that’s something that you’ve consciously decided).

what do you think?

***

what tips would you offer to others to make it easier for them to find their core?

it’s interesting that evan links the ideas of “authenticity” and “core”. the authentic person as the one that exists underneath – what? disguise? a necessary protective layer?

here’s one tip: spend a week asking yourself: “what makes me smile?” and jot down your answers.

what are your tips?

***

what pitfalls would you warn them of ?

evan gives an example: don’t try to go too fast! going at a comfortable pace is likely to be more beneficial in the longterm. i would add to that what joanna mentioned a few weeks ago: as you become more yourself, it’s possible that you will lose people who feel threatened or confused by this “new you.” also, with my buddhist background, i’d like to say that we should not expect this core to be something stable and unchangeable. perhaps it’s a little like the weather: there will always be clouds in the sky but they’re never the same.

do you have any warnings?

image by carlo nicora

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