Authenticity

Authenticity is something I feel like I've always been chasing and never quite figured out. For me it's about being exactly who I am, with no fear of what the consequences or judgments might be, and it usually seems to include pure joy. In the past, there have been little snapshots of time when I've known I'm aligned and truly authentic and I just know because I know. These moments usually involve either traveling (especially to new places), being with my nephews, or spending time with youth and mentors from Phoenix Youth at Risk. These experiences used to be few and far between, but even then I realized that they were my touchstones, my access, to what I wanted to create in my life. So when everything else seemed out of place or downright horrible, I would use those little pieces of my life that remained joyous to figure out what it was that I wanted.

The lawyer thing, on the other hand, is something that has NOT worked for me in terms of authenticity. Sooooo....not surprisingly, ever since a few days ago when I declared that I am no longer regularly taking new cases or practicing full time as a lawyer, my life seems to suddenly be flooded with authenticity and I am loving it! And the more I practice it, the more I'm addicted to it--when I start experiencing what it is to be authentic, it becomes less and less desirable for me to show up as anything else--why would I????? This is new for me, but very exciting.

It is no coincidence that I just completed a trial and ended my formal legal career on a high note. My Youth at Risk peeps came and watched and supported me with texts and phone calls, which was so cool. And now I'm heading off to Honduras, where I've never been before, to see my amazing family and play in the rainforests and on the beaches with my nephews. This is quite possibly the most authentic week of my adult life, and the universe keeps giving me more. This is cool. I highly recommend it. :)