There are those who suggest Authenticity is an excuse for people to be harsh and rude, or that Mindfulness is fabricated new-age dogma. Some believe transformative behavior can be repetitive actions which lead to transformation regardless of intent. Others embrace the same words as magical portals to enlightenment through sense-training or working with a guru. I think all of these are the result of a semantics exercise. Adjusting concepts to fit the story we want to tell or the approach we want to validate. There are many treatise and discourses on philosophy and self-examination which are dense and difficult to understand. Unfortunately that means there are people who dismiss the writings as not applicable to modern living, or re-package them into a simplistic philosophy of their favorite element. Perhaps the one that best serves their own personal view. Authenticity only means staying true to your core self, within reason and the situations you find yourself in. Within that authenticity is a compassion and sensitivity to yourself and others. Your authenticity is not a "get out of humane-ness" free card. It doesn't mean you get to treat people however you want. It doesn't mean you lock yourself in a box and only behave according to some fixed self-definition. The self evolves. Intentionally for the better. And you need to remain authentic within that evolution. Mindfulness is something our parents have been telling us since we were small children: PAY ATTENTION. We heard it in the original Star Wars (chapter 4): "never is his mind on where he is, on what he is doing." Mindfulness is a conscious awareness of who we are, what we do, where we are, with whom we do it. We all know that so-called "accidents" are the result of not paying attention. So why rebel against a concept of doing exactly that? You are mindful to know yourself so you understand your behaviors to better control and evolve them. So your choices are thoughtful and considered. Acceptance as non-judgement does NOT mean keeping what doesn't serve you. You don't have to judge yourself to make change. Which leads into Transformative action. "Faking it to make it" only creates a weak result. Like building a house on a shifting foundation. Sooner or later it catches up to you. We can all go a long way without any self-awareness or planning or consideration. And if we do, it's because of circumstances and the people around us that allow us to be successful. And plain old luck. Those things run out. Are taken. Or leave. It serves us all to take ownership and responsibility for our place in the collective. When I grow, we grow. When we grow, I grow.