“Sometimes, to our dismay, we find that we have been living someone else’s life, that their values have and are directing our choices. While this life we are leading never quite feels right, it seems to be the only alternative. Even when we win the applause of others, we secretly feel fraudulent.”

“Moreover, virtually all of us lack a deep sense of permission to lead our own lives. We learned very early that the world exacted conditions that, if not met, could result in punishment or abandonment. That message, overlearned and internalized, remains a formidable block to the ego’s capacity to elect its own path. (James Hollis, Finding Meaning the Second Half of Life).

The commitment to be awake in your life, to step back and be the observer of you being you in your daily life and to course-correct as needed, is a commitment that is born out of courage, being open-minded and being more committed to the journey than the destination.