There are so many pressures to conform in life that it’s easy to lose sight of who we actually are – and that’s never a good thing. After all, if we can’t be ourselves, then who are we? The problem is that society often imposes norms and expectations on us. Trying to get us to fit into certain molds that it has created, but for the most part, people don’t truly fit into those molds. The result, many end up living a life that is uncomfortable at worst it means we end up unhappy. That’s why it’s so important to be yourself, but it’s definitely not the only reason; read on to find out more.
You’ll Make Real Connections
If you’re always pretending to be someone else, you pretend to like certain things (just because you think you should), and you ignore the things you actually like. Because society tells you that’s strange and unusual and very uncool. Then how are you going to make real friends? You’ll know people, yes, and you might hang out with people, but will you have anything in common with them if you’re not being yourself?
It’s much better to just ignore what people say you ‘should’ or ‘should not’ enjoy and just do what makes you happy. In that way, you’ll find friends who understand you and who like the same things. Which makes for stronger and longer-lasting connections.
You’ll Be Happier
If you keep trying and trying to meet society’s standards, you’ll usually feel inadequate and miserable. You also might lose confidence and start to doubt yourself and what you want and enjoy. That’s not a good situation to find yourself in. After all, what more do you need in life than to enjoy it? And what could be worse than being told you’re wrong about what you like so you don’t enjoy it anymore?
The good news is that when you can be yourself, no matter what you might want to do, from playing D’n’D to wearing kilts for men to preferring opera to TV. Or whatever else it might be, you can be much more content and, ultimately, much happier. In other words, don’t concern yourself with what other people think and just do what you want to do. You’ll have a much more fulfilling life without (too many) regrets.
You Can Inspire Others
When you’re able to express yourself in the way you want to and you’re not concerned with other people’s opinions or what society tells you to do. You’ll be happier and enjoy life more as we’ve said. But on top of that, you might find that you start to inspire other people to do the same, which is fantastic.
If you can show you’re courageous and can step away from the crowd to do your own thing, others will feel more confident to do the same thing. They’ll be able to pursue their own passions just like you. The more people do that, the more society will start to change and be a lot more accepting of individuals, and at that point, there will be a lot more happiness in the world – that’s something to work towards, isn’t it?
Men of color should especially take note, as our communities can always use role models and sources of inspiration – if you can truly be yourself and live your life authentically you can become one!
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