Being true to yourself involves having self-respect, self-confidence, and knowing your worth. In this post, we list 10 ways to be true to your authentic self to live fully.
The crazy truth is that most of us are living a lie. Just think about it!
Whether you’re in a relationship, you truly don’t want to be in, you’re gay and hiding from it, or doing something just because it makes others happy and proud.
Doing any of these things prevents us from being true to ourselves.
I am guilty of saying what I think others want to hear and doing things just because of what others expect. Because of fear or not wanting to hurt anyone.
We are all taught to conform and get in line with the norms of society, but what if you choose to be the odd one and live by your own rules just because?
It’s time to peel back the layers of fear to discover your authentic self and live your truth.
What does it mean to be true to yourself?
To be true to yourself means behaving and thinking according to your own values and beliefs.
Making decisions based on your personal values, sincerity, unwavering principles, not because of outside influences.
It also means being your complete authentic self, setting your boundaries and living by what is acceptable to you regardless of the opinion of others.
10 Ways to be true to yourself
1. Releasing the ideas that you are not good enough
At some point, we develop the idea that we are not enough. As a child, I grew up in an emotionally abusive home where I was made to feel unworthy and I carried this into adulthood.
But, I am overcoming this conception of not being enough and realizing that my thoughts, feelings, and ideas matter.
Overcoming feelings of unworthiness takes some time and work. You first need to uncover the deeper place your unworthiness is lurking.
Then start working on yourself, finding a therapist, or whatever it takes to release this burden.
Additionally, shouting down your inner critic, avoiding the comparison trap, letting go of the past, and start journaling. Keep in mind that how people react to you is never about you, so don’t beat yourself up. (source)
We are all worthy of feeling love, acceptance, and that our thoughts and ideas matter.
And once we release the belief that we are not good enough, we can be true to ourselves.
2. Knowing who you are and having self-acceptance
Another way to be true to yourself is by having self-acceptance. Self-acceptance is not necessarily a default state. Most of us have trouble accepting who we are, flaws and all.
True self-acceptance is acknowledging who we are and embracing it without any conditions, qualifications, or exceptions.
Self-acceptance also shows that we unconditionally accept the positive and negative aspects of ourselves. That you are not your mistake or your actions, those are separate from who you are. (more here)
To be true to yourself, you must have unconditional self-acceptance, self-love, embrace your authentic self and work on improving the negative part of yourself.
3. Being confident to be true to yourself
Being true to yourself also means being confident in your abilities and the decisions that you make.
And not relying on approval from others simply because we don’t believe in our greatness.
Confidence allows us to deal with pressure and face challenges. And having a realistic sense of one’s capabilities and being willing to be true to yourself regardless of social norms.
Related: How to Build Self-Confidence: 17 Ways To Be More Confident
4. Setting boundaries and sticking with them to be true to yourself
Another important aspect of staying true to yourself is setting boundaries and sticking with them.
Respect your needs and know when to say no. Boundaries are simply guidelines or rules that tell people how we want to be treated and what we consider acceptable.
We all have boundaries whether we know it, but we don’t always impost them. Why?
Could be fear of not wanting to make people uncomfortable or not valuing our standards.
Boundaries are important because your needs will be met. They prevent others from invading your space. It’s a form of self-respect, can help reduce your stress, anger and resentment toward others.
5. Being honest with yourself about what you want, feel & think to be true to yourself
Do you often lie about what you think or feel? Well, you’re not alone.
Most often, people lie to themselves to avoid the consequences of their behaviour, to escape certain emotions or hide a part of themselves.
Discover your true self and uncover why you make certain decisions or what you tell yourself to avoid a situation.
When you are honest with yourself, you gain compassion, self-esteem, an unshakeable belief in yourself and stay true to yourself.
6. Making decisions for you not out of fear of reject
The fear of rejection often affects most of us. But never let it hold you back from living fully and making decisions with your wellbeing in mind.
The fear of rejection has prevented me from pursuing many things in my life. But ultimately, we need to decide to live our life to the fullest with no regrets.
Overcoming fear of rejection is an ongoing process of validating your feelings, knowing you’re not alone, knowing your worth, facing your fears, rejecting negative self-talk and seeking help when needed. (more here)
7. Know when it’s time to let go of negative influences and be true to yourself
Negative influences in your life can wreak havoc on your emotions and undermine your authority. Know when it’s time to do a detox of toxic people will benefit your well-being.
Surrounding yourself with positive, uplifting people that add value to your life. And cleans your mind of negative thinking and limiting believes.
Related: How to Remove Negativity From Your Life And Start Living
8. Be unafraid to stand up for what you believe in
Advocating for what you believe in and what you stand for is one of the greatest forms of self-respect.
Many times, we fall into the trap of peer pressure without realizing it. If you never speak up or go for what you want, you will never have it.
No one will ever know your thoughts, ideas, or needs if you never speak up. And don’t undermine yourself just to avoid conflict.
If you are struggling with advocating for yourself, like me, start small, know what you want, and expect some difficulty. (More)
Because when you live your authentic self, you always advocate for your belief.
9. Embracing all aspects of your existence to be true to yourself
Everyone has flaws, baggage and things they are ashamed of. But know that those things don’t define who you are. They are simply experiences that helped shaped our lives.
It’s ok to embrace all aspects of yourself, and never settling for less than what you deserve.
Love your authentic self, flaws and all. And you will learn to be true to yourself.
10. Letting go of what others think of you to be true to yourself
It doesn’t matter what you do, thinks, or look like, someone will always have something to say. It’s human nature!
But sometimes when you think people are judging you, they are really not. They are too busy with their needs to be bothered with you. Just saying.
It’s a matter of overcoming your insecurities. You will never please everyone, so just be true to your amazing self.
Related: How To Be Unbothered And Finally Live Your Life
Conclusion
I am still discovering myself, so I give myself permission to be ok with who I am, where I am now.
No one wakes up and says “am going to be true to me no matter what.” It’s about discovering yourself and knowing what you stand for.
Keep in mind that we are all learning and growing. Who you were 10 years ago is not necessarily who you are and want to be today.
So give yourself permission to live by your own rules and be true to yourself.
Don’t forget to share!
