Struggling to be yourself? Check this out.
More often you will hear your friends and family members telling you to “be yourself.” But, what do they mean by saying this? I did a little research on how to be myself, and these five areas were my findings.
1. Surround yourself with positive people.
It is good to surround yourself with positive people. People who see the best in you. People who understand your weaknesses and support you for who you are. People who believe in your strengths. People who when you fall, will pick you up and love you for who are. For example, if you are in a group of friends and they try to change the way you behave or influence you to emulate other celebrities by the way they look
2. Don’t be a people pleaser.
Some people will like you and others will not like you. You may ask yourself, “Do they think I’m thin?”, “Does she think I’m dumb?”, “Does he think I’m too short?”, “Am I fit to join their group of friends?” To be yourself, you have to let these concerns go away. What is most important is the respect you get from people!
3. Don’t compare yourself with other people.
It is good to have mentors. Inspirational people are important. Instead of valuing themselves, some compare themselves with other people. For example, s/he may compare her/his lifestyle to someone else’s. This is wrong. If you know that you can only afford a certain lifestyle, then don’t try to force yourself to live that lifestyle. Accept your situation and work hard towards improving your lifestyle.
4. Be honest with yourself.
Accept your past. Do not let it hinder you from exploring or trying new things, new emotions, or new experiences. Emotional scars or previous physical abuse need to be released. You should learn to let them out of you. Sharing with a close family member or friend will help you let go of the past and will free you. Talking out your troubles improves your health. According to an article published on PsychCentral, it is good to make the conscious decision of letting go as this means accepting that you have a choice to do so.
5. Finding yourself.
Now, you can accept who you are, your behaviour, how you dress, and your thoughts. You will not allow others to influence you. You know yourself and know what you want. You can stand up for yourself and withstand anyone’s opinion about how you should act or look.
