How To Be Yourself

There is absolutely no reason you should be wasting your time doing what everybody else is doing if you are not genuinely feeling it. Just because all of your friends decide to sign up for a weekly art class, doesn’t mean that you have to. Always stay true to yourself and do things that are worth your time. You have to remember that your time is precious, so don’t fill it with activities just to stay ‘hip’ with your circle.

It is definitely ok to hear people out and listen to their opinions, but you should never take them to heart. Everyone has an opinion, including you. And, your opinion should be the most important one to you. Always remember to follow your gut and stick to your guns when it comes to things that are important to you. You should never feel obligated to incorporate another person’s opinion into your lifestyle if it doesn’t benefit you.

It’s definitely important to figure out who you really are as a human being. And, it is much easier said than done. The key is to really pay attention to what makes you feel happy, what makes you feel sad, and pick apart the essence of your emotions. This practice will allow you to really tune into what makes you tick and to discover the person that you were meant to be.

Sometimes it helps to take a look at yourself from an outsider’s perspective. This is because it is helpful to know how people see you. Are you seen as a quiet shy type or a happy loud girl? When you understand how you come off to people, it is easier to make changes that will better represent the person that you want to be. Or, maybe it will make you realize just how perfectly represented you are and just make you more confident in the person that you are.

Just because you are used to hanging out with your girls after class every day, doesn’t mean you have to. Routines often get people stuck in a place that they don’t want to be. Routines are familiar and therefore easy, without stretching people to their greatest limits. If you bravely venture outside of your routine, you may just find out something about yourself that you didn’t know. And, this could lead to a whole new world of personal discoveries. So, break up with your routine (guilt-free) and try to switch it up a little. Your inner self will thank you!

Just because your BFF is totally into rock climbing, spin classes, or green tea lattes doesn’t mean that you have to be too; Or, if she seems to be way ahead of you on the career ladder or met the love of her life before you…it doesn’t matter! Everyone has a different timeline in life. And, you should never compare yourself to others or try to follow a crowd. This will only make you lose your sense of self and lead you down an unhealthy path.

One of the best ways to really be yourself is to focus all of your energy on you. You need to spend time by yourself exploring through literature, media, spirituality, and every other aspect of life in order to understand what you need and what you desire as a person. What makes you excited and what makes you anxious? What do you really want from a job or a relationship? Some alone time with some books that spark your interest or a blank journal to fill with self-reflective thoughts are always a good place to start.

There are a lot of things that make you unique. And, sometimes it’s hard to realize what those things are. But, finding them will only help you tap into them and take full advantage of them. This is one instance it is ok for you to take into consideration what people say about you. Do they mention how helpful you are? Or, how you can make anybody laugh? Or, maybe it’s just your smile! Whatever it is, don’t hide it. Accept it, love it, and share it with the world!

Just like it’s ok to be happy, it’s ok to be sad sometimes. Or, mad, or cranky, or flirty, or whatever. You should know that no matter what emotion you are feeling at the moment is ok. Everyone has emotions and just because you are often seen as the smiley happy-go-lucky girl of the group, you are allowed to have your grumpy sad days. Always remember to pay attention to your emotions and respond to tending to them in a healthy and accepting way.

Do your friends represent who you want to be? If not, maybe it’s time to surround yourself with some different people. Of course, it’s ok to have friends that are different than you; if you didn’t life could get a little boring. However, it is not ok to have toxic people in your circle. If there are people who aren’t encouraging you to be yourself or who are making you feel bad in any way, do away with them. You don’t need that kind of energy in your life. And, it certainly won’t help you grow into the person you were meant to be.

It’s important to always stand up for what you believe in. Though, sometimes it is hard, in order to be true to yourself you must get into the habit of standing up for yourself. Don’t let others walk all over you, or tell you how to live your life. It’s not any concern of their’s if you don’t like kale or if you believe in polyamorous relationships. Always do what you believe is right and stay strong. Everyone has a right to their opinion, but you do not need to take them to heart or incorporate them into your lifestyle. Stand your ground with major issues, and let your colors fly.

Being confident is one of the key elements of being yourself. If you are confident in who you are, not only will you be a much happier person, but people around you will respect you and understand the type of person that you are. There is no point in being yourself if it makes you uncomfortable. And, if it does make you uncomfortable, you probably aren’t being a very organic version of yourself. Confidence in who you are should come very naturally and it should make you feel happier.

People change over the course of their lives; it’s a natural progression. And, you are not an exception. The thing people have a hard time with, however, is to gracefully accept the changes that come to them. Maybe you used to hang out with a certain group of people that you just feel like you don’t fit in with anymore; that’s ok! You are allowed to change parts of your life and personality. You are growing in a various number of ways, and it’s beautiful; so, embrace it!

It’s one thing to say you love something or that you have a certain opinion on something, and it’s another thing to actually do it and back up your thoughts with actions. Staying true to your values and morals is an excellent way of being yourself. No one likes a fake. To be a true genuine person, you must make people (and yourself) believe what you say by following through with actions.

There is nothing bad to be said about staying present and living in the moment. And, it is true that this does not come naturally to all people. For some, who live on google calendars, this may seem like a constant battle filled with forced meditations and self-care self-help books. But, by staying present and in the moment, you will be able to discover so much more about yourself and what makes you ‘you’. Staying present will also allow you to really enjoy your life and love who you are. And, who doesn’t want to live in their own skin confidently 24/7? Self-love is made, and staying present is one of the ways to do it.