How to Be Yourself - Benefit Your Mental Health and Lifestyle

It feels terrible to be listening to a conversation, feeling like you should speak up, yet remaining quiet. "But, if I say something they might think I'm stupid, and I'll look like a fool," you say. Instead, when you walk away from the situation, you feel like a coward, as if you have failed yourself in some way. We do this repeatedly; allow fear to stop us from expressing ourselves and it feels terrible. We go to sleep, feeling unsatisfied. Like there was something we missed out on. Of course, we did: ourselves.

The sad thing about this is that most individuals don't just miss out on themselves for a day, but for their entire lives. Is this really how we want to live? Did we really come to this planet to deny ourselves, to contribute nothing?

We all have a desire to add something to this world, and we are all capable of doing so. Yet, the only way to really add anything of value is to be ourselves Know who you are, and share it.

What if you don't know who you are?

You can find out. You are there. The easiest way to realize who you really are is to ask yourself questions. Ask yourself:

"If I were afraid of nothing what would I do? If there were nothing and no one stopping me, what would I be? Where would I go? What would I say? Wear? Watch? Listen to? Care about? Etc."

These simple questions say a lot. They cause you to think about what you desire, deep down, when nothing else is a factor. These desires always come from your true self.

Yet there are things we are afraid of, and there are things that get in our way. So, how do we follow our true desires in real life?

The first thing we have to do is, realize that the things we fear and claim to be stopping us will most likely always be there. They may not always be the same exact things we are dealing with right now, but there will always be risks and obstacles to face. What we have to do is decide what is worth the most to us. What is really important to you: Avoiding fear and challenges at all cost or experiencing the wonderful freedom of living life as your true self?

Second, after honestly answering the questions; list the things you have been doing up to this point that are holding you back, and the situations where you find it hardest to be yourself. After listing these things, choose only one of them to focus on for a week. Write down some things that you are capable of doing right now to improve in the specific situation you chose. How can you let the real you show? Work only on this. Do not try to do more than that. After a week, write down your experience with your efforts. What happened? How did you feel before and after? How did others react? Was it as bad as you thought? Will you do it again?

The point of doing this is, to gradually eliminate the behaviors and actions that are repressing your true self. As you go about your week working on each issue, write down all of the successful experiences you have with it. Make note of every achievement. Remember this is a gradual shift. It takes time.

As you continue with this process, focusing on one thing each week (taking more time if needed) you will begin to notice a weight being lifted off you. You will feel lighter and freer.

This may seem like a lot of work, and a lot of writing, but it is worth it. This is your life. So what if you spend a little time doing something that will make it better. This year is going to pass, and the next one too, whether you do this for yourself or not. So why wait any longer. It is time to live your life. It's now or never. If you don't take charge now, when will you? There is only today.