Creating an Authentic Life

Many of us wonder why we continue to live the lives we have fallen into. If we were obedient children, we followed the societal rules laid out for us by our parents, community, schools, and peers. To be different would be risky; it was much easier to just go along-become part of mainstream society. Those who wanted to be different but weren't strong enough to fight the others may have wound up living a life of internal anger and depression. Those who were strong enough to dare to be different may have wound up feeling that they didn't belong, living as outcasts and exiles. Either way, we are all lost in the "tale" we have created for ourselves. For all of us the theme of our tale often encourages us to conceal or disguise our real selves. Now we must unravel our tale to become who we are. The tales included in the book address the power of the storyteller for the teller and the listener. Each tale deals with a different aspect of the storyteller's tale and reality. The tales presented together with "points to ponder" present the basis for analysis by the reader to gain a greater understanding of the reader's tale and what needs to be changed to move toward the life they want. So take the journey with the author to unravel your own story and become your authentic self. Rob Reider, CPA, MBA, PhD, is the founder and president of Reider Associates, a management and organizational consulting firm located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The tales in this book are based on Rob's experiences growing up in the Philadelphia area and his working years and his over thirty years working with people in a consultative capacity-and living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is the author of a number of professional management books as well as one book of fiction. Rob lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with his wife Barbara and has three grown daughters, Kim, Michelle, and Heather-all of whom have contributed to the tales in this book.