Am I doing what I am suppose to be doing in this life?! By: Kyle Brown

Reasons for choosing this question… Now in college, should be the turning point in my life where I am “doing what I am suppose to be doing” Wondering if some people have callings they never find Was there a certain reason we were put on this earth, as ourselves, at this time?

Survey A survey was given to random people of different ages, both male and female, containing open ended questions about life.

Question #1 Are you satisfied with the life you live? The most common response was people are satisfied, however, they wish they could change some things about it (amount of friends, free-time, income, appearance, etc.)

Question #2 If you died tomorrow would you be missed? Most said yes. Many said that they would like to fix things with people before they died so they wouldn’t have any regrets.

Question #3 Have you ever wondered if you were born in the right time? Most people admitted they wonder if they would have fit in better in a different era.

Question #4 If you knew your “expiration date” or time of death would you live your life any different? People said they would be nicer to everyone and try to do as much as possible. Some said they would question if they have fulfilled their life the way they would want to.

Question #5 Do you believe in destiny? Interestingly enough, the younger subjects believed in destiny while many of the older ones did not.

“Authentic Self” A concept many researchers and philosophers have been studying for years. Many people have different ideas or beliefs about what is ones true authentic self. Lets explore some…

“The Authentic Self” by Robert Ehman Robert Ehman believes that the authentic self essentially does not matter in life. Our society is based and judged off of “inauthentic qualities” and that’s how you are seen as a person.

“The Authentic Self” by Robert Ehman He believes that one’s authentic self is the meaning or value YOU put on yourself as a person. Meaning whether or not you are satisfied. Not everyone around you.

“The Authentic Self” by Robert Ehman His conclusion in his book states that you make up your own authentic self. Nobody in this world, including the ones close to you can say you are here, on earth, doing what you are suppose to be doing. It is up to you to decide on your own if you are fulfilling your dreams.

The Dr. Phil Approach… He feels the “authentic self” is something found deep within you. It not defined by your job, function, or role. He believes it in the composite of al your skills, talents, and wisdom. “Authentic self” has to deal with all things unique to you.

Buddhism’s Dharma For centuries, Buddhists have been teaching children in schools and passing down techniques to one another on how to find your “dharma” I feel this is a very difficult concept to understand and it is expressed in many ways.

Dharma Finding ones dharma may take years or might just come to you without looking for it. Although taught about the concept of a “Dharma” in school, it is not something Buddhists believe you can search for by learning some steps (even though Amazon sells books that tell you how to find your Dharma for $19.95!)

Dharma vs. Authentic Self Some people go their entire lives searching for this Dharma and realize it is either not found or they have been doing what they should have the entire time. This relates to the authentic self because neither of them can be provided by someone else. You are to define YOUR OWN.

Feminist Approaches in Identity This idea of an authentic self was and still is a big topic for women. During women rights movements and throughout history women were underestimated. They felt they were not doing what they were put on this earth to do. It was insulting to them they they were not allowed to attend school or do more then be a housewife.

Feminist Approach of Authentic Self After fighting for years women are finally able to do what they think is best for them and help them find their “authentic self”

My Opinion on my research… Original Question: Am I doing what I am suppose to be doing in this life? Answer: I believe so! After doing all of this tedious research I have realized that there is no certain thing that I am suppose to be looking for in this world to help me figure out if I am doing everything right. It all depends on my happiness. If I decided that I hated school and dropped out and got a full time job making minimum wage and was happy, then I would say I found my authentic self!

Opinion cont… Like many of my sources said, you are judged in this cruel world by how you look, what you do for a living, and how much money you make. However, that does not mean you have to judge yourself that way. If I am content with the way my life is and what I am doing then I’d say my goals in this life are met.

Opinion cont… The biggest thing I think I learned while researching for this project was to not get caught up looking for my authentic self. If I am not happy in life then I agree I need to change something to change the way my life is. But, if I am happy with everything then who is to tell me otherwise? Many religions, like Buddhism, this topic of Dharma or Authentic Self is very important. Some people stop their entire lives and go on world searches trying to find their “calling.” I do not feel that is necessary at all.

Conclusion! Do not get stuck on trying to find your Authentic self. If you are happy then you have achieved it. Don’t go searching for something that may not be out there! Worry about your self happiness rather then trying to please others pushing you in the wrong direction!

Works Cited “The Authentic Self.” Robert Ehman "Feminist Perspectives on the Self." (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr "Dharma." - Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr "Dr. Phil.com - Advice - Defining Your Authentic Self." Dr. Phil.com - Advice - Defining Your Authentic Self. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr Govier, Trudy “Self-Trust, Autonomy, and Self-Esteem.”Hypatia, 8:1 (Winter): Haslanger, Sally “Gender and Race: (What) Are They? (What) Do We Want Them to Be?” Nous 34:1 (March):