{"id":36417,"date":"2018-05-05T01:48:07","date_gmt":"2018-05-05T08:48:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clairewolfe.com\/blog\/?p=36417"},"modified":"2018-05-05T04:54:36","modified_gmt":"2018-05-05T11:54:36","slug":"the-authentic-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clairewolfe.com\/blog\/2018\/05\/05\/the-authentic-life\/","title":{"rendered":"The Authentic Life"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is part 1. Part 2 and probably 3 will come rambling along in the next few days.<\/em><\/p>\n

—–<\/p>\n

My friend Jordan longs to lead an Authentic Life. In caps. <\/p>\n

He’s done fascinating things while also doing well for himself. Most people would say he’s living the good life. But he’s wanted to escape it for years. He and his wife tried once. They aimed for their idea of paradise. Failed. Not really through their own fault. But they ended up being sucked straight back into the “good” life again. Now they’re considering another try.<\/p>\n

Jordan thinks I live an authentic life. In some ways, I do. I certainly try. But then I look at someone like Joel<\/a> and … no way. I know all too well my own compromises, bad habits, and excuses.<\/p>\n

I’m glad Jordan thinks that of me. I aspire to authenticity no matter how often I miss. Yet it’s funny how we so often associate The Proverbial Authentic Life with poverty (or at least with genteelly limited means).<\/p>\n

Of course there’s good reason. When you’re as poor as Joel, you’ve got nobody to impress — except in the sense of impressing neighbors with how honest, hardworking, and creative you are at solving problems. For that, you must be really, really real.<\/p>\n

When you’re at my level, it’s not so hard, but you still have to focus on needs more than wants. You live by certain priorities that produce responsible results. You get to be virtuous if only by necessity.<\/p>\n

I do suppose that a life filled with a high-power career, money, and status is usually a little less authentic. It simply has so many more opportunities. But does it really have to be less?<\/p>\n

Digression here: I’m going to talk about wealth and authenticity, but what I’m saying has applications all across the spectrum. It’s really about money, status, inertia, and excuses — curses that apply to us all.<\/p>\n

What is an Authentic Life?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

First of all, let’s define our terms. What is an Authentic Life?<\/p>\n