Celebrating you – How to Be your authentic self
With the new year upon us, it’s a perfect time to set out on a journey to become your most authentic self. Why? Because you rock! Who wouldn’t want to be you?!
Here are a few simple tools you can pack away for the journey ahead.
1. Be Ok With Where You Are At in Life
When I was in my mid-twenties, I felt this urge to search for who I was and where I belonged in this world. I traveled, I tried new hobbies, I went back to school. I did a flurry of things to get my life all lined up. I wanted to have everything settled already, to have finally “made it.”
But I was never satisfied. I was always looking forward to the next stage in life where I thought I would finally be happy.
Everyone is on their own time frame. The moment you start to compare yourself to others’ accomplishments is when you start trying to be like someone else, not YOU.
And you want to be YOU, right?
2. Incorporate Self Reflection
In an age where we rush around to endless activities, or hear the constant blaring of social media, we rarely take time for silence and self-reflection. Knowing more about yourself is key to becoming more of that person!
Searching for self-identity means grappling with those questions we often forget to ask ourselves: Who am I and what is my purpose in this life? How can I be true to myself? How do others define me? How do I define myself?
It’s hard to reflect on your authentic self if you’re constantly on-the-go or surrounded by noise. Take some quiet time today for reflection. What makes you feel most like yourself?
What makes you feel most like yourself?
3. You Might Change…and That’s Ok.
When I was younger, I had these grand dreams of how I wanted my life to play out. Now, years later, some of these happened and others didn’t. And I find myself less passionate about some of the things that didn’t work out. In fact, it was probably better that some of those things didn’t work out. I wouldn’t be where I am today. And I like where I am at today. I love my life!
As you grow older, your dreams might change depending on how you’ve set your priorities for your current life. You might think that you’ll always want to be a wandering millennial who never stops traveling, and then one day you realize you want to settle down and spread your roots. And that’s ok. It’s part of the journey and it’s important to recognize what makes you happy in whatever phase of your life you happen to be in.
There’s nothing worse than pushing yourself to do something you aren’t passionate about anymore.
Recognize what makes you happy in whatever phase of your life you happen to be in
4. Find Friends Who Like You for Who You Are
By the time I was in my late twenties and definitely by the time I turned thirty, I realized that if I don’t have friends that like me for who I am (silly, different, quiet, definitely not one of the “cool” kids) I will never be happy. I don’t want to feel like I need to be someone I’m not just to impress a group of people who don’t actually care for me.
So now I look out for friends who are similar to me, who don’t care about looking cool or impressing people, who are genuine and sincere in the way they live their life.
These friends reflect back to me my most authentic self.
If I don’t have friends that like me for who I am, I will never be happy
5. Get Off Social Media
FOMO (fear of missing out) is real. There are studies that show that the more time people spend on social media, the more unhappy they are with their own lives. When we see all the amazing things that it “looks” like people are doing, we fall into the trap of thinking that we need to be like them, doing all those cool things they are doing.
Or, if you’re a regular poster, and crave the attention from getting likes and comments, maybe it’s time to step back. You are wonderful no matter how many likes you get for that pic you posted. Learn to love who you are, even if it’s not broadcasted all over social media.
6. Do What You Love
This statement can be overplayed these days. It’s a buzzword that everyone uses for reaching your dreams or becoming successful. But it’s important to step back and look at what it actually means.
Do the things you love to do, not what you think you should do, or what someone else thinks you should do. Do what makes you happy. Do what makes you excited. Achieve this and you will find a lot of joy in your life and in the person that you have become.
The things you love and the things that bring you joy are clues to what makes you authentically you.
Self-identity is empowering
7. Keep Searching for Identity
Discovering identity is a life-long process. In seeking identity we find belonging with other like-minded individuals. But at the same time, it also helps us to recognize the ways in which we are unique, ways in which we alone can accomplish our dreams, goals, and aspirations.
Discovering our identity becomes less about defining the lines that divide us but seeking out the ways in which we can offer something new to this world. Self-identity is empowering.
Why else are we so fascinated by movies and books that depict an epic journey of searching for oneself, for family roots, or for one’s purpose in life? It’s because we long to know more about our deepest self.
So keep digging!
When you discover your authentic self, you will be unstoppable!
Now It’s Your Turn
What thoughts or words of wisdom have you learned along the way? How do you become your most authentic self? Add your comments below!
