Authenticity

The wind is howling outside, Flynn is cuddled up with his stuffed animal on one of his many beds strewn throughout the house and I am home from school recovering from my latest bout of Strep throat. It is here, sitting at my dining room table, that I contemplate the subject of authenticity. How closely aligned am I or are you to your personal truth?

I believe one of the many reasons people bond so deeply with dogs is for this very quality of authenticity. The photo I'm including here is dear to my heart and embodies living in the moment! It isn't surprising that an abundance of authors have written books about the bonds they share with their dogs, and have written novels from the perspective of their canine companions. We all need reminders to be authentic from time to time and who better to deliver the message than our trusty pooches?

I watched a video blog this morning by Gabrielle Bernstein (http://gabbyb.tv/videos), a modern day teacher of mindfulness and self awareness. She brought up some simple signs to pay attention to when it comes to following your inner truth. For example, if you are behaving in a way that creates anxiety or guilt, there is a strong chance you've diverted from what you know to be right.

Despite all that we can intellectually comprehend about mindful practices, I find that staying connected throughout our daily behavior is where the rubber hits the road. We all have ideals of what we know to be true and good, however, there may be a disconnect between what we believe and how we behave. Authenticity is present when you're living out your beliefs in real time. Let us pay attention to our behavior today. Notice, without judgement, whether our actions align with what we know to be our truth.