Be True To YOU
How often do you give into many ‘shoulds’?
How often do you steer away from what your heart wants?
We are all victims to many ‘shoulds’ and ‘what ifs’. But, unfortunately, that’s not how you stay true to yourself because you are too worried about others’ opinions.
As we say, you cannot love someone better if you don’t love yourself enough; you can never stay true to others if you are not true to yourself. So, begin by accepting yourself and give in to your vulnerabilities now and then.
That’s not an easy task. In the world of Social Media, gaining acceptance from your peers matters most. We fear the possibility of getting bullied or ridiculed for being who we are and doing what we want.
Then again, people will always judge you – No Matter What!
They will cause hindrances and create doubts in your minds all the time. But, you should not give in to their insecurities and make them yours. Instead, focus on what you really want.
After all, we are not born to please everybody!
But, we can do so to please our whims and fancies because we live once, and we die once. And, there, you will find a great sense of fulfillment. Also, it will help others feel a genuine connection with your true self.
It’s all about authenticity. And, authenticity sells.
Don’t be a copycat of the stereotypes. Instead, challenge them and show them a different path. And, soon enough, you will become a trendsetter.
Now, if you are faced with the question, how? You can start by –
#1: Accepting Your Vulnerabilities
Be it in personal relationships or professional space; we try hard to hide our vulnerabilities from others. We hone different masks and hide our true selves behind them.
That’s wrong!
If you try to pretend to be someone you are not, you can never accomplish anything – both in your relationships and career. Unless you are an award-winning actor, playing out a different role will expose you to mistakes. Or, simply, people will ignore you because they will see a reflection of another person in you.
But, if you are true to yourself and playing your character, people will notice you. They will hear you and try to connect with you. This is because it is you who makes yourself unique. There can never be a second one.
There will always be someone who is the most popular person in class or your team. People listen to them, and a few follow them as well, maybe including you. Instead of blindly following them, understand why they are so popular?
It is because they have accepted themselves along with their insecurities and vulnerabilities. So, they are confident about themselves, and that gets reflected in their behavior. If you follow them, you will always remain oblivion in the eyes of others.
So, you decide what you should do?
#2: Do What Your Heart Desires
Following the crowd is something we all do.
To an extent, that is exactly what others expect out of us – just follow! Do not question the stereotypes.
Get a 9-6 hours desk job, get a girl, get married, have kids, retire gracefully, and die!
End of the long and boring story. Do you want your life to end like that? Or, do you want to live a life that has lost its meaning?
You can start by asking yourself these basic questions. You will find your answers. This is because your heart knows who you are and what you want. So does your brain. But, the ‘shoulds’, ‘don’ts’, and ‘what ifs’ of others confuse your grey cells and create self-doubt in you.
For once, you can tell your subconscious mind to ‘shut up and listen to what your heart is saying. Even though the path might seem challenging, do not stop yourself. Even though you will face multiple failures, just don’t give up.
Keep trying, and your undivided efforts will pay off!
Take the examples of some of the greatest entrepreneurs of all times – like Steve Jobs, for instance.
He dared to question the status quo and listened to what his heart said. He failed multiple times. Eventually, he did show the world that things can be different from what they were expecting.
Jobs’ efforts and dedication culminated in one of the top-selling smartphone brands in the world, Apple.
It is very simple. If you do what your heart desires, you do not need a constant reminder to get on with your daily tasks. You won’t need the ‘push factor’ in your life to succeed. You will know exactly what to do, how to do it, and you will do it. This is because you enjoy doing that in your spare time as well.
Like we say, if you convert your hobby into your profession, you will never feel any mental fatigue.
#3: Don’t Follow the Trend, Be the Trendsetter
Yes! That’s exactly what we all have been doing all through our High School years.
We love to follow the latest trends. It’s okay to be trendy. Everyone does that. But, how does it make you different from others?
For example, if all your classmates opted for wearing stilettos for the Prom Party and you know you are never comfortable in them, what will you do? In general, we will try to fit into those classy stilettos just to fit in and be a part of the crowd.
What if you chose to wear a comfortable underneath your classy prom dress? You might think that is a hideous idea. But, you never know that one single move on your part can start a new trend altogether.
This is because you chose to stay true to yourself. You chose your comfort over trend. You started a new trend. Be that!
Another example – wearing socks with designer high heels was considered an anti trend until Rihanna breathed a new life into the supposedly hideous style statement. She boldly flaunted white mules with Gucci socks.
No one dared to call it hideous.
Obviously, there will always be fashion critics ready with their pen to benign someone for choosing what they prefer over the trend. But, Rihanna did become a trendsetter of the ‘socks with high heels’ style statement.
Yet another example – cars or four-wheelers were considered the privilege of the rich. Cars were sold at a price that any regular American would not have imagined.
We are talking about the time when Henry Ford was not who he became later.
He was obviously not the inventor of four-wheelers. But, what he did was to make vehicles not just an accessory for the rich but a necessity for average people. Thus, Henry Ford ensured that when his employees and everyday Americans think of shopping for a car, they think only of Ford (the car company).
He started a trend by challenging the status quo. As a result, Ford became a trend in America.
Summing It Up
You don’t have to follow the masses.
Instead, you should always follow your heart, and the world will silently follow you. That’s how you can be true to yourself and enjoy a life of fulfillment. So, instead of regretting your decisions in the later years, start today by changing your perspective of life.
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