Be Yourself………………..
The world is a shit place. The
expectations of those around us also exert a strong influence on our identity.
Many of the choices we think we have made in life were probably programmed into
us by the expectations of those whose approval we craved. It is amazing the
degree to which people will adapt to gain the approval of others.
Then there are the expectations that
we put on ourselves because we think we have to. This could include anything
from our grade point average in school, to the job we would walk away from if
it weren’t for our financial obligations.
Don’t get me wrong
here, I’m not saying that imitating others or living up to expectations is
inherently bad. All I am saying is that these influences can make it difficult
to be yourself because they tend to confuse the issue.
Over time, it can
become increasingly more challenging to identify our true self apart from those
external influences. The line gets blurred to the point where we might have a
full and busy life and still find ourselves saying: “I don’t really know who I
am.” Have you ever felt that way?
Benefits of Being Yourself….
1.
You instantly become a
better listener. In
the times I’ve not been a good listener; it was because I was thinking about
myself or what I wanted to say. In the times I’ve listened well, I was present
in the moment and tuned into the conversation, rather than worrying about
myself.
2. You will be less manipulative. When
you’re trying to adjust your hair in the mirror, you might look at it from
different angles, try a few styles, and even tilt the mirror. Similarly, when
you try to adjust your image through the eyes of another person, it often
results in subtle manipulation to get them to see you in a different way, and
people hate being manipulated for obvious reasons. If you’re being yourself,
the real you is the person they see, and they’ll subconsciously appreciate your
straight-forward identity; of course, people will still misinterpret who you
are, but that will happen no matter what you do.
3 You’ll feel more relaxed. Managing
an image takes a lot of effort because you have to stifle your natural
tendencies, analyse the environment, and fabricate a suitable image. But being yourself
takes no effort at all – you react and live from the heart, so to speak. It’s
relaxing to know that you don’t have to put on a front because you’re
comfortable in your own skin!
4 Know your personal values. We all have a built
in set of personal values. If we lose touch with those values we lose touch
with our true self. When we violate those values we violate our relationship
with the person that we really are. To truly be yourself, it is vital that you identify those values and make every
effort to live by them.
5. Choose Your Passions Carefully. Our passions align with our true self they need to be in
harmony with our values and standards.
Passions are easily
influenced by what we think about and what we take in through our five senses.
These are all within your control.
6. Cultivate Positive Look & Beliefs about
Yourself.
You don’t have to compromise your
goals.
You don’t have to be like everyone else.
You don’t have to conform.
Be the person you were meant to be…..
Just be yourself……
