How Living Authentically Can Transform You

Ever feel like you’re stuck in a routine, doing what’s expected of you but never really feeling alive? You wake up, go to work, and check things off the to-do list, but something’s missing. Maybe you’re not unhappy, but you’re certainly not thriving. It’s like you’re just getting through the day, not truly living it.

I’ve been there. Let me tell you how I ended up on a path I didn’t expect—and how I finally learned to take control of my own life.

When I was in high school, I had this dream. I wanted to be an archaeologist. I imagined myself on exciting digs, discovering ancient fossils, exploring historical ruins, and experiencing the world in a way that was meaningful to me. It was my passion, my purpose.

But life doesn’t always follow the plan, does it? I remember a dinner with my mom and relatives where they asked me what I wanted to do after high school. Proudly, I shared my dream of becoming an archaeologist. My mom, a dentist, wasn’t thrilled with the idea. “Why don’t you consider becoming a dentist?” she suggested. “It’s a stable job, and I’m sure you’d be great at it.”

I didn’t see myself as a dentist, but I could see how proud she’d be if I followed her footsteps. So, I took the safe route, went to dentistry school, graduated with honors, and even got a scholarship. But deep inside, I knew that this wasn’t my calling. It was a good life, but it wasn’t my life.

After years of feeling disconnected from my work, I made a choice to explore what truly excited me. I took a leap of faith and switched to research. Fast forward to today, and I find myself working on an incredible new project that combines science with something I’ve always loved: understanding human’s behavior and mental state.

Through a random encounter with a professor from the anthropology department, I’m now collaborating on a research project that explores genetics and trauma. And here’s the crazy part: This professor works closely with archaeologists, studying ancient remains, bones, and fossils. It’s like my childhood dream is coming true, just not in the way I expected.

It’s wild how life works, right? When you follow your passion, when you step into your truth, things start aligning. Opportunities show up, people enter your life, and before you know it, you’re living in ways you never thought possible. When you’re true to yourself, life starts to bring you exactly what you need.

Why does all this matter? Because we all have something inside us—a passion, a calling—that’s uniquely ours. Self-determination theory tells us that when we’re doing what we love, we feel a sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Simply put, we feel alive, we feel ourselves. And when we’re doing something that isn’t right for us, it drains us.

This is exactly what Viktor Frankl, the famous psychologist and author of Man’s Search for Meaning, understood so deeply. He wrote: “Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.”

When you live with purpose, you can face even the hardest challenges. But when you’re stuck in a life that doesn’t align with who you are, that’s when everything feels like a struggle.

This reminds me of something a classmate said during my dentistry years. He asked, “Do you know the famous words of Genghis Khan, the Mongolian leader who built the largest empire in history?”

I’d heard of him, but I didn’t know his words. So, he shared them with me: “If you do something, don’t be scared. If you’re scared, don’t do it.”

I’ve carried this with me ever since. It resonated with me so deeply because it was so simple and so real. If I’ve already made a decision, why let fear control me? That quote gave me the confidence to finally pursue what I truly wanted in life—no matter how scary it was.

So, I chose to follow my true passion, and now I’m working on something that feels aligned with who I am.

What About You?

So, here’s the big question: Are you living a life that excites you?

Think about it for a second. What in your life feels like it’s just going through the motions? Is there something you’re passionate about, something you’ve always wanted to do, but you’ve been too scared to pursue?

It’s easy to get caught up in what others expect of you. Maybe you’re in a job that pays well, or following a career path that looks good on paper. But does it fill you with excitement? Does it make you feel alive?

It’s never too late to make a change. It might be uncomfortable at first, but once you start following your passion, life has a funny way of rewarding you with the right opportunities, the right people, and the right experiences. Choose what resonates with your soul, not just what’s expected of you.

Take a moment to reflect on your life. Ask yourself: What do I really want? What is the thing that makes me feel alive? And what small step can I take today to move closer to it?

Because when you align your life with your true purpose, amazing things start to happen. It’s your life — don’t let fear or expectations hold you back.

Remember, the only way to truly live is to start living for yourself.