Be Yourself

I'm sure at one time or another in your life someone has said, "Just be yourself." To which you thought, "Well, how am I supposed to know who that is?"

Especially in today’s social media driven world, it can be difficult to know who your authentic self really is. Too often we care about how we are going to be perceived by the outside world. We play certain roles to fit into society and we suppress our true nature, fearing what others will think. If you find yourself concerned about being judged, remember that’s merely the socialized you, not the real you. 

One way you can unearth your true self is to think back on the child you once were. Are you able to recall how free you were and how little you cared about what others thought of you? You hadn’t been socialized to “fit in” yet.  Young children are pure love and light. If you really want to get in touch with that spirit, become freer, play more, be silly, and enjoy the everyday moments that make up your life. 

Another way to better understand your true self is to pay careful attention to the quality of your thoughts. You’d be surprised how much you come home to yourself throughout the day by just carving out five to ten minutes first thing in the morning. 

Thoughts will come and go, allow them to do that without getting attached to them. Just observe them. We often cling to unconscious beliefs that we have accumulated over the years that were most likely handed down to us from someone else. Becoming more aware of the quality of your thoughts, letting go of the old belief systems, and choosing to be present can help reveal your true nature. We are so much more than what old negative thinking patterns will ever allow us to believe. 

And finally, learning to trust your intuition can be one of the most powerful factors in being yourself. So often we ignore our intuition because we feel obligated to others by placing their comfort and happiness above our own. Realizing this doesn’t mean you'll never have bumps along the way, but when you're in alignment with your soul, you will always be steered in the best possible direction. 

How do any of these tips help you to be yourself? They help you by aligning with your true nature. Your authentic self is the real you that is beyond all of the conditioned beliefs and thinking patterns that you’ve accumulated throughout your life. 

Several years ago, I began the practice of going inward and learning to become aware of my thoughts, silence my mind chatter, and come home to myself. I became aware of how much I had identified with my victim story, how I would play out roles depending on who I was with, and became aware of how much I cared about other peoples' perceptions of me. Having the desire to fit in and be accepted by others is part of being human. Realizing the cost it can have can be rather painful. While learning to be gentle and not to judge myself I would ask, “How would I act right now if I didn’t care what others thought of me?” I began realizing that who I was without adding anything else was perfectly okay. 

When you let go of the old ways of thinking that weigh you down, start following your bliss and do what you love, you begin to align with your inner joy and peace. These are clear indicators that you are connected with your true nature and your real self is able to shine forth in all its glory. 

“Waking up to who you are requires letting go of who you imagine yourself to be.” ~Alan Watts

- Heidi Neuss