Some people daily ask themselves the fundamental questions of what it means to understand who they are. They let other people evaluate their personality without ever doing so themselves, which does not demonstrate how to be yourself.
It’s not a good idea to be part of those people. As adults, the most important thing is to understand how to be yourself before anything else. Once you discover who you are, life becomes easier and better to live.
Being yourself is knowing who you are and showing people what you are made of. Therefore, one of the foundational steps toward exploring your personality is learning how to be yourself.
Afterward, you can begin to express your personality through the things you say and do. Of course, during the period of learning how to be yourself, you must always stay true to yourself and not let anyone or anything intimidate you or push you into conformity.
In this article, I will describe what it means to be yourself and provide a few tips on how to be yourself. Of course, I may have expertise in this topic, but there is something I do not have: the ability to make that critical decision for you.
While I can provide these tips on how to be yourself, it is your sole responsibility to implement them. That said, I encourage you to read until the end. I’ve got a lot in the bag for you!
What It Means Being Yourself
“Be yourself” is undoubtedly one of the shortest but most influential pieces of advice you can ever get. No matter how much we try to imitate others, in the end, everyone is unique. That is, everyone will mostly behave like their inherent self more than acting like others.
You are who you are, and you can only make attempts to change that. Even when you try to imitate other people, your qualities must first show before theirs. One of your biggest flex is when you are unique, authentic, and different from other people in a good way.
That said, it will be very unfair to assume that we can be completely free from the influence of others. We cannot. As we grow older, we are mainly influenced by the people around us, our society, and most importantly, the institutions we attend.
These factors will largely shape our perceptions or opinions of life. Even the people we don’t try to imitate may have influenced us subconsciously. So, in truth, we are not entirely our own individuals.
Outstanding people have influenced me in my life. I grew up in a beautiful family where my parents significantly impacted my lifestyle.
I did not attend the best school in my neighborhood, but I enjoyed my experiences as a pupil and a high school student. My teachers also impacted so much on my life. Because of these people, I became more intelligent, thoughtful, respectful, and open-minded.
While we cannot be entirely free from other people’s influence, there is an inherent part of us that will never be compromised. That part of us is the “self .”I strongly believe that imitating others is entirely different from being influenced by others.
When you try to imitate others, you are simply trying to compromise the “self .”I’m sorry to tell you that it’s almost impossible. But, with time, you will get tired of trying to be like others and eventually focus on being yourself.
On the other hand, being influenced by people does not compromise the “self.” Instead, it helps to grow and nurture the “self,” allowing you to become the most authentic version of yourself. If this is difficult to understand, try out this simple exercise:
1. First, look back and think about all the beautiful people you have met. Think about how much their words and actions have made you a better individual. Then, ask yourself if you would have been where you are today if you hadn’t met someone or been influenced by them.
2. Secondly, mark out your favorite sports, musical, fashion, or superstar. Try to imitate how they talk, walk, and generally behave for three weeks. By the third week, observe if you have successfully become like them or if you badly want to switch back to being you!
I promise that you will go back to being yourself because no matter how hard or how consistent you are in copying others, it will eventually get tiresome.
However, if you look at the people that have positive impacts on your life, you will realize that while you might have been affected by their lifestyles, your beliefs may differ significantly. In essence, there can be no two “you” existing simultaneously.
Why The “Self” May Be Confusing
When you tell someone “Be Yourself,” what do you think comes to their mind first? Being streamlined to one particular way of behavior, right? This may not be the case.
In learning how to be yourself, it is essential to note that there are different kinds of the “self” that individuals can display depending on the situation or environment they find themselves.
Many people don’t know what it means to be themselves. When someone says to them, “be yourself” or “find yourself,” they become confused, perhaps not fully understanding what that means. Here are a few factors that could be responsible for such confusion:
1. They Fail To Realize They Have Multiple Selves
Have you ever wondered why you tend to behave differently when meeting people at different locations? While growing up, I found this habit so weird that I thought it was a psychological problem.
I feared that I could be labeled a hypocrite if someone caught me behaving entirely differently with other people from how I acted when they were around. I felt like it wasn’t just right.
So, I tried to tailor myself to behave the same way with everyone, but it was practically impossible. Somehow, however, I realized I couldn’t help it, and I accepted myself that way.
As I grew older, I discovered I had “multiple selves,” which wasn’t a problem. It was just who I was. It is important to note that having multiple selves is not the same as being fake with your personality. What is the difference?
It is straightforward: if you have multiple selves, it’s natural — you are not making anything up. However, if you are being fake, you will realize that you consciously try to be deceptive and insincere about your personality.
According to experts in the field of psychology, there is no one “true self” but multiple selves that we display depending on the situation we find ourselves.
2. Cultural Influence
Our cultural and social values may significantly impact the “self .”For example, certain cultural values may make individuals display introvert tendencies, while others may be inclined towards extroversion.
This may influence how individuals act and behave. When you realize that a few factors influence how you manifest the “self, ” the journey to self-discovery becomes easier to travel.
Let’s have a good outlook on the main point of this article: how to be yourself.
15 Simple Tips On How To Be Yourself
It is essential to learn how to be yourself. If you try to be like others, you won’t succeed. You must realize that every individual walking on this planet is different from one another. If you are struggling to understand how to be yourself, below are fifteen ways to do so:
1. Explore Your Personality
This is one of the foremost tips in learning how to be yourself. Remember, I have earlier explained that most individuals have multiple selves.
That is, depending on the situation they find themselves in or the kind of people around them, they are likely to display different types of personalities.
Your colleagues at work may see you as shy and introverted because, at work, you tend to keep things professional. At home, your friends will hang out with may call you the life of the party. Two different personalities.
Therefore, exploring your personality and understanding who you are is crucial. Find out whether you display the same attitude while with different people or if your behavior changes to suit the situation.
2. Embrace The Use Of Positive Thoughts And Words About Yourself
Self-motivation is essential. While drawing inspiration from other people or things is okay, it is best when you motivate yourself.
Refreshing your mind with positive thoughts daily can be a game-changer. It can make you feel more confident in yourself and improve your self-worth.
The more you say good things to yourself, the more you tend to be unique and different. If you tell yourself that you are the best, you will most likely try to be the best.
However, if you fail to motivate yourself, you may never be able to realize how unique you are.
3. Revolve Your Consciousness Around Your Strengths
As humans, we come to this world with different innate abilities. So the first step towards achieving success is discovering your strengths. The next step is to revolve your consciousness around your muscles.
How can you accomplish this? The most effective way to achieve this is to be aware of your abilities and put conscious effort into developing them. Sometimes, people fail to realize their strengths and focus on the things they cannot do well.
They may struggle to succeed in that regard. This is because they failed to consciously build on their strengths by not maximizing their full potential.
4. Stop Trying To Fit In
In one of his famous songs, award-winning American Rapper Kendrick Lamar, in addressing the problem of alcoholism, sang, “some people wanna fit in with the popularity that was my problem.”
Here he acknowledges that although he never liked drinking alcohol, he wanted to be recognized as one of those who did because alcoholics were probably seen as excellent. Unfortunately, that’s the problem most people have.
They try to fit in with the popular to be like the others. They do not even bother to consider if the act may have negative consequences in their lives. All they want is to be regarded as one who does what others do.
Trying to fit in is always a bad idea. Instead, find yourself and accept who you are. Do the things that please you and avoid doing risky stuff.
If you ever get tempted to fit in, remember that you are learning how to be yourself and must continue on the path of self-discovery.
5. Pay Less Attention To People’s Opinion Of You
By learning how to be yourself, you must learn to pay less attention to people’s opinions about you, especially the negative ones. You should be more concerned about being unique and self-conscious.
People may try to say things to make you feel terrible about yourself, but it is not always difficult to point out that their opinions stem from misunderstanding.
Humans are fascinating beings. Most of them don’t like associating with people they can’t relate to. When they begin to feel that way, they may try to sway you to their corner by saying negative, untrue things to you.
Of course, when someone says something that is not true about you, you can quickly figure out that they are not telling the truth. Avoid them!
6. Be Open To Change/Growth
Being yourself does not mean rejecting any form of growth. On the contrary, as we grow older, we tend to learn from life’s experiences, and those experiences will shape us forever.
In trying to be yourself, you must be open to allowing your experiences to change your perspectives about life. Growth will constantly happen to us — physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Yet the main question is, are you open to change or growth? Of course, you should. In one of our many life-changing articles, we highlighted ten important reasons why change is needed to survive. You can read it here.
7. Conquer Your Fears And Flaws
As humans, one of our most significant drawbacks is the inability to conquer our fears and flaws. When you finally overcome these two challenges, you will be more confident. Of course, it may not be easy at first, but in the end, it’s rewarding.
We must realize that humans cannot have excellent attributes in every aspect of their lives. As such, you must recognize your fears and conquer them.
You must also recognize your flaws and look for ways to improve. There is nothing wrong with having flaws. However, there is everything wrong with acknowledging your weaknesses and not working on them.
8. Express Yourself
To be yourself consistently, you must learn how to express yourself. Self-expression is essential, especially when you are around people. Expressing yourself is exploring that part of the “self” that wants to be happy and full of life.
Self-expression also tells people how smart or intelligent you are. It can be a way of letting them know that you know your stuff.
Expressing yourself helps you stir conversations and leaves a strong, positive opinion and impression about your personality.
9. Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone
In your quest for self-discovery, getting out of your comfort zone is the fastest way to know who you are. When we are in our comfort zone, we feel at the highest level of our lives, and everything feels complete.
However, this is simply a sign of complacency. You must find the right motivation to push you out of that zone. If you remain there, you will miss more opportunities to discover who you truly are.
Getting out of your comfort zone may not be easy, but it is hugely rewarding. For more reasons why you need to step out of your comfort zone, read the article here.
Discovering a newer, better version of you can be exciting. You become more mentally, physically, and emotionally mature with every move you make to get out of your comfort zone.
10. Cultivate And build Quality Relationships With People
One of the most important things in life is building quality relationships with people. You must be willing to do this in learning how to be yourself. Being in a healthy relationship with the people you love can be highly rewarding.
In life, we need the support of others to grow — one cannot do it all alone. Every day of our lives, when we go out or surf the internet, we interact with people and even make new friends.
Hence, building and maintaining a healthy relationship with such people is vital. You can do so by:
- Listening attentively to their concerns
- Asking relevant questions
- Being unique and honest
These are the three key things you need to build quality relationships with people.
11. Spend More Time Alone
As humans, it is essential to interact with one another. Being around people makes you feel great most time. However, you may get tired of being surrounded by them and may want to have some time alone.
This is good too. Having some time alone can give you a necessary break from the social world and help you keep your sanity in check.
In addition, when you spend time alone, you have the opportunity to reflect on your life and think of ways to become better.
Spending time alone can set you on the path of personal exploration where you can discover who you are. It also helps to make you creative.
This is because you can think of ways to improve yourself without getting distracted by others. Lastly, spending time alone can help boost your social energy.
For example, a car can travel as far as possible when its tank is full. However, it must be “rested” for refueling and maintenance before it can go again.
Your social energy is the fuel that keeps you going. At a point, you must take a break away from the social world to avoid breaking down.
12. Reduce The Use Of Social Media
The internet is the most important tool of the twenty-first century, without any doubt. The advent of social media has enabled us to interact and communicate with one another at incredible speeds.
While the use of social media has its perks, it is not entirely safe to use it all the time. It may have a significant impact on your personal life. You may become so addicted that you forget that there is a real world you are living in.
The more time you spend on social media — trying to know other people and meeting new friends — the less time you have in the physical world; as such, learning how to be yourself may prove difficult.
13. Avoid Comparison
Do not compare yourself with others. Comparison is a quick way to self-destruction. You must acknowledge that everyone is unique; in some aspects, you cannot be better than others.
Of course, in other aspects, you are the boss of the show. So, why not focus your energy on trying to be a better version of yourself instead of comparing yourself to other people?
14. Set Principles And Live By Them
Living by the principles you set for yourself may not be an easy thing. However, the results are advantageous.
In the long run, you will be grateful for staying true to yourself and not bending your rules to suit unfavorable circumstances.
15. Appreciate Your Uniqueness
Like everyone else, you are unique and must appreciate that. Your uniqueness is the reason why you can be yourself. If you fail to recognize this, you may struggle with how to be yourself.
Appreciate that you are the only person on earth who completely behaves like you. Be grateful for choosing the path to self-discovery and be hopeful that you accomplish what you have set out to achieve.
Conclusion
I am convinced that this article must have provided quality answers on how to be yourself. I’m glad you have read the points I highlighted in the article.
If you have, I am sure you now know a couple of things about self-pride — the what’s and whatnots. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many beautiful things to learn.
Hence, I encourage you to join our constantly-growing platform, Little Step, Big Miles, on Facebook and Instagram. We provide tips and solutions to important questions about social issues and lifestyles.
In addition, some of the most interesting people on our platform seek to help one another experience growth in every aspect of their lives. So why not join us today and become a better and much prouder version of yourself?
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