Embrace Your Authentic Self

How often do you feel pressured to mask who you really are? How often do you withhold how you feel or think, keep your opinions to yourself, and do your best to fit in or conform? 

Whether it’s work colleagues, family, friends, or even social media, we tend to hide our true selves. 

But if you want to unlock your best life and be happy, you must be true to yourself. 

You are a gift to the world. There are benefits to you being your true self. 

Here are a few reasons why you should embrace your authentic self.

You Are Unique

There’s no one else in the world that shares your unique set of talents, abilities, perspectives, and gifts. 

When you mask your authentic self to avoid standing out, you deprive everyone around you of the true difference and contribution that only you can make through self-expression. 

Many of our greatest inventions, advancements and social and cultural changes happened by people willing to stand up and be different by embracing their authentic selves and confronting the status quo. 

Self-acceptance or Seeking Approval

Deep down, we all long to be who we truly are. The choice is simple. You can practice self-acceptance by embracing your authentic self, or you can engage in approval-seeking behavior. Guess what happens when you embrace your inner self and refuse to conform? You invite others to do the same. It’s as if you give them the courage and permission to unlock their best life. 

Self-acceptance creates a kind of ripple effect that promotes self-expression, allowing everyone to benefit from our unique collection of talents and abilities. 

Conforming Is Hard

When you follow the crowd, it takes a lot of effort to think, act, and behave in the “culturally acceptable” way all the time. It takes more work to conform than it does to be your true self. Think of all the time and energy you waste and all the mental and emotional resources you burn through that could be used in better ways? 

The time and energy you spend trying to be something you’re not could be invested in improving and growing your life and purpose. Think of what you could do and become if you focused your time, energy, and purpose on unlocking your best life? 

Life Has An Expiration Date

Life is short. You know this. And the older you get, the more aware of it you become. 

Regret is one of life’s most painful experiences. If at the end of your life you realize that you never really used your gifts or talents because you were always trying to be something you’re not, will you regret things you didn’t do? Will you regret not realizing your potential?

Life is fleeting. And opportunities can pass in the blink of an eye. By embracing your inner self, you reduce the likelihood of experiencing the pain of regret later on. Instead of going with the crowd and fitting in, make embracing your authentic self your new normal. You need to be you if you’re going to be truly happy. Besides, our world needs you! So live YOUR life by sharing your unique gifts, talents, and perspectives. Live your purpose. Embrace your authentic self and unlock your best life…in fact, you’re not fully alive until you do.