Being true to yourself means you act in harmony with who you are and what you believe. It is about focusing on what feels right to you, not what someone else thinks you should do. It's ok to listen to advice, but in the end, you make the decisions about what is best for you. We want you to get in the habit of being responsible for your happiness. Being self-fist is not selfish; it improves your connection with self and others.
Here are eight ways you can work at becoming more true to yourself.
Take responsibility for your happiness.
You are responsible for your happiness. When you leave others accountable for your joy, you let others (or fate) take hold of your life. Don't be a passive bystander; become an active creator. Only you can create what you want out of your life.
Get out of your mind and into your heart.
How you feel is vital to how you live. We are taught to respect the mind and trivialize the heart. People who are heart-lead are labeled as being overly emotional. Take a step back and practice relaxing the mind and develop listening to your heart. When the heart and head are misaligned, it means your soul disagrees with your thoughts. When you are at peace with your decision, you are aligned. Your heart is the doorway to your soul; take the time to feel peace from your choices because that is how the soul communicates.
Schedule self-discovery time.
Do you know who you are and what you like? Take time to rediscover who you are by exploring your creativity. We all have different forms of expression; find the one or more that make you feel good. Start with scheduling ten-minute self-discovery sessions and then increase the time as needed.
Accept yourself and stop trying to be "likable."
People pleasers need to be liked, as everything they do is centered around gaining approval and recognition from others. If you feel that being disliked is one of the worst things that could happen to you, you're likely a people-pleaser. To move past people-pleasing, you need to learn how to find self-worth within yourself rather than others. Begin with accepting yourself by showing kindness, forgiveness, compassion, and genuine care towards yourself and your thoughts. Remember that you, just as much as anyone in the Universe, deserve your love and affection. Consider yourself as a best friend and give love, advice, and kindness from there.
Learn how to say "no" without giving a reason.
When you base your self-worth on the opinions of others, you tend to struggle with boundaries. Saying "yes" to people and commitments when you want to say "no" is one of the fastest ways to disempower yourself. Self-sacrifice fueled by fear does not help your happiness. The more you sacrifice, the more inner resentment and unhappiness can build. Practice respectfully, kindly yet firmly say "no" after deciding what you want to do when asked.
Connect with your heart more.
You cannot fix what you don't face. If you have a habit of repressing your emotions, you create an inner disconnect. The more you bury your feelings, the harder they are to address over time. To be true to yourself, you need to connect with your heart. Emotional expression is healthy and vital to your well-being, don't be afraid to feel and explore them. Remember to be gentle when you do.
Forgive yourself.
Forgive yourself for having to work at being true to yourself. Not everyone is taught how to feel worthy, as it is the biggest challenge we face. Don't blame yourself for where you are; remember you were doing the best you could with the knowledge and level of awareness you had. Mistakes are a normal part of life and should be seen as opportunities to learn and grow.
The truth shall set you free.
Start with being honest and transparent with yourself. Are you truly happy? Learning how to be honest with yourself helps you to face and fix what needs to be addressed. People can deceive themselves temporarily about how they feel, but eventually, the real emotions come up. Yes, the truth can be challenging, but it will heal your soul.
Until next time.
The more you practice happiness, the better you become, and the more joyous your days. If you practice living life, you enjoy and understand it a little bit better. To make your happiness a priority, grab one of our journals today!
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