#238 Identity & Authenticity - the Work of a Lifetime

     Throughout life, whether we're consciously aware of it or not, we all struggle with identity and authenticity issues. We all try - unsuccessfully - to manage these "developmental struggles by rethinking past choices and worrying about future directions. Coping strategies such as avoiding the underlying issues by either working obsessively or not working at all only add to the problem.

     College and university students, and everyone else, for that matter, notice that when they stop and pay attention for a moment, there is often a disconnect between their bodies and their minds. For example, if we ask people, 'Where is your mind when you're taking a shower, brushing your teeth, or walking to class?' we typically hear that their minds are somewhere else - worrying, making plans, remembering some past problem, passing judgment on themselves or someone else. In this way, they go through their days not even noticing the vast majority of everyday experiences. Often only novel or particularly unpleasant events penetrate their fog of future-oriented thoughts. This approach to life can rob them of their experience of some of the best things about being alive. Even worse ... it can block their access to their authentic desires and innate wisdom, hampering their ability to find a coherent path for themselves. Mindfulness is about learning to bridge the mind-body disconnect, to begin to make contact with what is true and wise and kind within all of us and to use this knowledge to move confidently into the future."

       Rogers H, Maytan M. Mindfulness for the Next Generation. Helping Emerging Adults Manage Stress and Lead Healthier Lives. Oxford University Press, NY, 2012.