How ironic is this. We spend most of our adult lives trying to distance ourselves from who we are. Working hard to fulfill our highest dreams and aspirations. To create a life for ourselves and our children that was better than the life our parents had.

Ultimately, as we age, at least in my case, we find ourselves working backward! This notion reminds me of the politician, when establishing his campaign and trying to look like ” every man or woman, ” claims to have grown up in a log cabin he/she built themselves! One of the many sad realities here, is while it possible to have a materially fulfilling life as that ” other person,” we’re most
comfortable and at peace connecting to our roots.

Forever, I lived in the corporate world, all cleaned up and ready to shine and perform, losing sight of that 12 year old boy from East Baltimore with his first job setting up bowling pins in the basement of a church for $3 per night!Armed with a blue collar work ethic and passion for whatever I was doing, I was well equipped to make my way in the world.

Abraham Lincoln said it best when he said, “Whatever you are, be a good one.”

We should not be defined by what we’ve become but by who we are. Our values, our commitments, our integrity and work ethic should define us and speak for itself. The more distant we become from those core values, the more challenging, frustrating and out of balance our lives become.

The goal here must be Authenticity! For it is only when we are true authentic, with ourselves and with those around us, that we find true peace and contentment in our lives.