Dear Reader,

After reading my last post – A New Mantra – a friend asked me whether it described a real thought process or it was constructed. The doubt is entirely legitimate since the writing can seem too edited and scripted. I suggest you read it to understand what I mean.

In any case, if you are wondering, the answer is a resounding “Yes, it was real!”, as it is any content that I put on this blog: I have no interest in sharing made-up material, nor in getting more views for the sake of it!

Anyway, that question caused me to ask myself, in more general terms: how can I be authentic?

The question seems too daunting to be answered directly, so, to find an answer, I will try to answer similar questions first.

Q: How can I be tall?
A: By being tall.

Q: How can I be helpful?
A: By being helpful.

Q: How can I be a good man?

A: Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.

Marcus Aurelius

I suppose there is no substitute for “being” if you want to be. The answer then comes almost by itself:

Q: How can I be authentic?
A: By being authentic.

Until next time, choose whether you want “to look like” or “to be”.