The Courage to Live Authentically
We often move through life as if on autopilot—chasing goals, fulfilling roles, ticking boxes—but beneath the surface of our routines lies a deeper question: Are we truly awake to our own existence?
Martin Heidegger, a German philosopher known for his dense and challenging work, offers a radical idea: to stop doing and start being. His concept of Dasein—translated as “being-there” To live as Dasein means to recognize that you are not merely a role, a job title, or a social identity. You are a being capable of reflection, choice, and transformation. You are not fixed—you are possibility and potential.
The Discomfort That Wakes Us Up
Heidegger didn’t shy away from discomfort. In fact, he saw anxiety as a gateway to truth. Unlike fear, which has a clear object, anxiety arises when the familiar scaffolding of life begins to dissolve. It’s the moment when the things that used to define you—your career, your relationships, your routines—no longer feel solid and stable. This may feel awful in the moment, but your anxiety reveals that you are not bound by the roles you’ve inherited or the expectations you’ve internalized. It strips away the illusion of certainty and exposes the raw freedom at the heart of your being.
Choosing Authenticity
To live authentically, according to Heidegger, is to own your existence. It means choosing your path not because it’s expected, but because it’s true. It means acting from your deepest values, even when it’s inconvenient, even when it’s hard.
Authenticity shouldn’t be seen as a one-time decision, but rather as a daily practice. It’s the courage to say:
“This is who I am.”
“This is what matters to me.”
“This is the life I choose to live.”
Heidegger’s philosophy is, therefore, not a roadmap, but more resembles a mirror. It reflects the question: Are you living your life, or merely passing through it?
To live authentically is to wake up, to stop hiding behind distractions, to stop outsourcing your meaning, and to stand in the truth of your own being—even when it’s uncomfortable.
It’s not easy, but it is real, and it can be yours.
Until next time,
Scott and Lennart