Do you really know what it means to be YOU?

Do you really know who you are?

Are you always your authentic self?

We hear this a lot these days:

‘Be Authentic’, ‘Be Yourself'

But what if the authentic self that we believe ourselves to be, is not even close to who we really are at our core?

When I first heard about this whole be yourself movement, I loved it! I was excited to know more about myself and to learn to be my own best friend! I just loved the idea!

But the more deeper and deeper i dived in search for myself the more I realized that;

‘ I had lost myself completely’

Yes, you read it correct. I had lost myself, I did not know who I was anymore?

The more I practiced to be my authentic self, the more I realized that I was just reduced to layers and layers of beliefs and limitations I had accumulated over the years from my culture, society, parents, and friends.

Do you relate to this?

I realized that the things that were important to me and the goals I had somehow came from my outside environment.

Everything I am is just a reflection of what the advertisements, media, and my community were feeding me?

Not even the dreams and goals that I had were really my own?!

This realization hit me hard!

That is when I realized that authenticity is an inside thing.

Be your authentic self. You authetic elf is who you are when you have no fear or judgement, or before the world starts pushing you around and telling you who you’re supposed to be.

Phil McGraw

We all have an outside-in approach towards life.

Our moods, needs, and goals all come from the outside world.

Whatever is in fashion or whatever is trending we immediately rush out to buy it.

We don’t even give it a thought!

We simply give our power away to what is happening in the world.

We need to change this pattern.

I believe that an inside-out view of life is the secret to a happier and fulfilling life.

Start living your life from the inside out as opposed to outside in.

Billy Cox

Let us see how we can learn to be authentic in five simple steps:

Step 1

Tap into yourself frequently.

Take a five minutes break when you are doing repetitive tasks.

Take a deep breath and just check what are you feeling and what you are thinking. Be mindful of your emotions and surroundings.

Pay attention to what is happening inside you.

What are you thinking?

Are you irritated or are you peaceful in the present moment?

What is your normal mood?

Anger, irritated, peaceful, happy, depressed, sad, lonely?

What are the thoughts that are on repeat day in and day out?

What stories are you telling yourself all the time?

Step 2

Before making any decision ask yourself the following questions:

• How do I feel about this situation?
• Does this choice excite me or does it feel like a burden?
• Do I really need this or am I forcing myself to make this choice because I am scared or because everyone else is doing it?
• Does this choice support my core values?
• Does this choice reflect self-love and self-worth?

Step 3

Be careful of the people that you spend time with

We all have family and friends who are very precious to us.

Many of us prioritize our personal relationships above all.

But sometimes the people who are closest to us may do us more harm than good.

It is challenging to recognize a toxic person because they are almost always the closest to us.

These are the type of people who do not allow us to be ourselves.

The people for whom we choose to suppress our true selves.

If you have anyone who has these characteristics it is time you part ways with them:

• They emotional manipulate you
• You have to compromise for them all the time
• They do not accept you for who you truly are
• They always complain and criticize others
• They are never satisfied
• They discourage you. They are never supportive but expect you to support them all the time.
• They use you only when they need help. They may only contact you when they are feeling low and want someone to listen to their dramas.
• They always put their own needs above others.
• They lack compassion
• If you have anyone with the above characteristics, it is time you reconsider your relationship with them.

Step 4

Build your support system

Being authentic takes a lot of practice.

It is so easy to fall back into the same old patterns.

This is a good time to make new friends with whom you share the same values or who are on the same journey.

It is time that you allow yourself to be the person that you always wanted to be.

• Find support groups and help each other
• Be with people who bring the best in you
• Let go of the past
• Pay close attention to what you need to change not just within but also in your environment
• Learn to love yourself more and honor your needs.

It is very important to have a strong support group. It is ok if its only one person.

As you start being authentic, your needs and behavior will change and your friends or family may not be very happy to see the new YOU.

It is also possible that you may want to let go of some people or maybe some people might leave from your life.

I know this is very scary at first but now you have room for supportive, positive and genuine people.

It is very essential that YOU create the ideal environment for yourself in which you feel safe to be YOU.

As you get more comfortable it will be easier for you to adapt to different situations and people.

Step 5

Shine bright!

As you become comfortable in your own skin and become stronger and stronger in your own practice, it is time you share your light with the world!

It is possible that you may be called upon to do something that you always wanted to do.

You may find the purpose of your life or you may now have the courage to follow your dreams that you once gave up on.

No matter what it is, shine your light brightly and be the person you always wanted to be!

Remember, You can change yourself whenever you want.

Now it is time to make the big changes!

And yes do not forget to have lots of fun in this wonderful journey!

I hope you find love and joy within you and create a prosperous and happy life!

Lots of love. ❤