"Be yourself. Who else is better qualified?"
- Frank J. Giblin
Perhaps you have heard this phrase before: "Just be yourself." Maybe you were told to be yourself before an interview or when meeting new people. It's a phrase we may hear when walking into situations where we may feel the need to act differently. While we may always be looking to make a good impression, being fake or misleading toward others can end up being a recipe for disaster when our misrepresentation of who we are catches up to us. When we are able to be ourselves without having to put up a false front, we avoid having to walk around with multiple identities.
We may sometimes feel like there are times when we cannot be ourselves. We may feel forced to act a certain way in front of certain people or in certain settings. It makes sense if you are someone who possesses a unique personality that does not fit the circumstances. For example, if you are someone who is outspoken with a boisterous personality, you may act a bit more reserved at a funeral. What I am referring to is when people feel like they have to act like someone they are not in order to impress or win over others.
Photo by Eyup Belen on Pexels
When we are able to be ourselves, we do not need to pander to others by being disingenuous or pretending to be someone we are not. In fact, if we do feel like we have to compromise who we are and placate to others, we may realize that we are giving up on our own identity and those qualities that define who we are. There are times in our personal and professional lives when we may feel like we have to act differently around others. However, if we find ourselves having to do this so often that it becomes a routine or habit, we may want to rethink who we interact with on a regular basis.
Having to put on an act for others can get old fast. We should be able to be ourselves without having to hide our perceived flaws or adapt to someone else's standards. We are who we are. Now, if we are acting different to hide something about our identity which we are not proud of, that should cause us to rethink who we want to be. Perhaps it may be time to level up into a better version of ourselves. If that's not the case, we should just continue to be our authentic selves since it's what makes us one of a kind, without compromise.
More Wellness!
tiny buddha: What It Really Means to “Just Be Yourself” and 3 Ways to Do It
Scientific American: The Benefits of Being Yourself Online