Being Yourself – Being “REAL”

I recenltly put this theory to the test so to speak. Of course it had to do in the dating context, but I went on whim and just let it flow. What do you have to lose. If someone dosn't like you for who you truly are then asta la vista! Thus far this has led to one of the best experiences thus far in my life. Of course the companion plays a big part as well, but it feels so good to just...be me.

Being yourself is something which can, and should, come naturally, but often this is more difficult than it sounds. As young children, we express ourselves quite spontaneously, but for many adults this is sometimes a great challenge. Life has molded us to put up walls, fences, bridges which is actually quite silly since most the time these fronts can keep us from truly experiencing something amazing.

Be playful! Be who you are, and do what you feel. Being yourself doesn't need to be a chore. Be happy with who you are, and you are more than half way there. To some extent, the rest is automatic. You're already being yourself, at this very moment, but there is no reason to believe that who you are ends with who you think you are, right now. We can all grow beyond certain limitations, and we should give ourselves the chance to do so. Being yourself, however, also means affirming just that, including all your natural talents and proclivities, so that you can make the best possible use of your own best assets. You don't have to pretend to be something you're not, in order to be the someone who you are. It's not necessary. In the final analysis, being yourself is simply that. We all have things we're good at, or enjoy doing, and other things which we'd rather not have to deal with at all. Affirm your own strengths and preferences, being comfortable with yourself, as well as trying to satisfy others, and the rest will come naturally.

When we can share a little more of our true selves with others, without what we share offending the other person, we create a sense of kinship which helps to heal the separation between us. Being honest, or genuine, is the capstone of being yourself. If you must always remain aloof of others, by keeping your true identity a secret from everybody, or by hoarding your natural gifts and hiding what you know from them, it makes it very difficult to be yourself at all. Being authentic requires that you trust others somewhat, and this is often difficult, since people must render themselves vulnerable when they open up to others, but it is exactly what you must do, if you wish to drop your pretenses and really be yourself. There are often consequences for saying the wrong thing, when we are trying to be candid, however. It is therefore desirable to consider the possible impact of what you are about to say, before you speak. Gestures, of all kinds, can likewise be mis-interpreted. Nor is every kind of behavior appropriate, no matter who you really are. This is why it can be so difficult to be yourself. It takes guts! On the other hand, I am relatively sure that you are better at it than anyone else around.

So, what does it really mean to be yourself? If our instincts are dulled from years of living as part of human culture, does this mean that there is no hope for us to be natural? Thankfully, this isn't the case. What's required is actually fairly simple, in fact, it's simplicity itself, or rather, childlike innocence. Learning to play more, being more open and less pretentious, re-discovering and cultivating a sense of awe and wonder about life, and losing a little self-importance, will awaken your inner child, and allow you to be far more natural in your demeanor. This is the essence of being yourself! Perhaps, to some extent, "being yourself" is something you do, when you don't have anything else left which you must do, which might keep you from being at-ease and natural, but it doesn't have to end there. When people learn to set their masks aside, to reveal a little of who they really are, they create opportunities for personal growth, and interpersonal relationships, which might not otherwise exist. Therein lies the magic power of being yourself.