We often hear about the "authentic self." But no one ever explains what this actually is.

Vivek Shraya, Canadian artist, says in Psychology Today (Jan/Feb 2022) "I think we need to get past the language of authenticity because, for me, it's more about the ways we're works in progress." She explains that the concept of a true self creates a problem -- it implies that who and what you were before was not true, and we have no idea who we will be in the future.

I agree that we are works in progress. Your experiences influence these changes in you and affect who you now may be. And the future is a question mark.

And as you travel along your life path, you will make many changes.

...You change from infant to child to teen to adult to wise elder.

...You graduate from one school and change to the next.

...Your hairstyle changes, your style of dress changes.

...Your behaviors and opinions change.

...Your goals change...

But in each of these iterations of you, there is a core that does not change.

And that's the authentic or true self. It is the deep non-judgmental observer part of you. It gives you a sense of identity and centeredness, a grounding. It is the unchanging part of you that holds your fundamental traits, the essence of who you are.

You could see the authentic self as the conductor of an orchestra, keeping all the instruments (the other parts, or subpersonalities, of you) making beautiful music in harmony together.

But maybe one of the instruments is out of tune, throwing the whole orchestra off. Maybe the conductor has fallen asleep or withdrawn.

If you make a poor life choice, one that doesn't fit with your personal self, parts of you go out of tune.

Maybe you get a headache, or a gnawing feeling in your stomach, or you have strange dreams, or you experience depression or a number of other "mental illnesses," or a even a physical illness.

Or maybe you just have a sense of something not being right. You feel off balance, out of tune, like you are not living the expression of who you are.

Perhaps your authentic self can see it and set it right again, or perhaps you need some help figuring it out and fixing it.

If that's the case, I can help you find your conductor, and once the conductor is found and empowered, the out-of-tune instrument can be identified and fixed. You will then be able to continue on your true path into the life you want, the one that feels right to you.