How to Start Being True to Yourself in 7 Ways

Did you know that you are an actor? And sometimes even better than those you see in movies. Matter of fact, you’ve always been an actor, and not only you but every single human being on this planet. We all have different versions of ourselves.

We act differently in front of different people and circumstances. You’re never being true to yourself by pretending to be someone you’re not.

All your life, you’ve been told by your parents, teachers, and even your friends what to do, how to do, and what to be. Basically, your whole life has been controlled like a puppet by others. But, have you ever thought of being true to yourself and start taking back control of your life? 

You might ask, “What’s the meaning of being true to yourself?” It means that you have the control or consciousness over choosing your next step, whether it follows convention or not. 

These days, people are so blinded by the idea of getting liked by others that they start pretending to be someone they’re not. And that’s the complete opposite of being true to yourself. 

Although sometimes being true to yourself might not make total sense to anyone but you, you shouldn’t ignore that feeling just because others don’t understand it. And that’s the essence of being true to yourself.

It’s you who gets to make decisions about your life, it’s your opinion that matters, and it’s you who’s responsible for making or breaking your life.

7 Techniques to Be True to Yourself

Being true to yourself takes a lot of courage. You need to be open-minded, genuine, thoughtful, and fair to be true to yourself. However, it doesn’t mean you’re selfish, inconsiderate, or disrespectful to others.

It means you will not let others define who you are or make decisions on your behalf. So, if you are longing to connect with your inner-self and start being true to yourself, here are some decent techniques to help you out:

1. Accept yourself 

The first and foremost step of being true to yourself is to accept yourself for who you are. Most people can’t find their inner-self or real-self because they don’t feel worthy of themselves.

These kinds of people always try to please others and in return hope to be liked by them.  But, little they know that it’s the recognition and acceptance from yourself that matters and not theirs.

In other words, you’ve got to learn to find your self-worth within yourself, instead of others. Therefore, when you love and accept yourself first, you don’t need to make others happy anymore and rather be happy yourself.

2. Embrace your vulnerability 

We have been raised in a society where being vulnerable and making mistakes is considered a sign of weakness. People always expect you to be strong and perfect no matter what.

But, sometimes it’s okay not to be okay. It’s all right to make mistakes and see your weakness as a part of you. Especially when you’re being true to yourself in a relationship, it’s crucial to accept your flaws.

We all come from different backgrounds, we’ve been through different situations and all of our journeys are unique.  

Also Read: 7 Surprisingly Effective Ways to Enjoy the Little Things in Life

3. Wear that cloak of invisibility

No, I’m not telling you to find a cloak as in Harry Potter that makes you invisible. What I mean to say is instead of making yourself invisible from others, make them invisible from you.

I know it sounds a little complicated, so let me explain. Most of us are afraid to do certain things because of the fear of the public. And that’s one of the things that are keeping you from being true to yourself.

So, what I like to do in this kind of situation is I tell myself that these people are not real and there’s no one around me to judge or criticize. 

4. Be true to your emotions

Not always do we feel positive emotions only, but negative ones too. And whenever we come across these negative thoughts and emotions, we tend to become uncomfortable.

As soon as they pop up in our head, we take, reject, or change them depending on whether we like it or not. However, all emotions, either negative or positive carry useful messages that help us to know more about ourselves.

So, if you want to be true to yourself, you first have to be true to your emotions.

5. Listen to your heart

As you know, the human body needs both the heart and brain to work in harmony for proper function. However, most people only focus on their minds and overlook their hearts.

Our mind is a very intelligent thing and it’s constantly full of racing thoughts and feelings. Sometimes it gets overwhelmed and may not take appropriate decisions.

So, whenever you feel like you have a lot on your mind, try to listen to your heart, since it’s the doorway to your soul. 

Also Read: Wondering How to Overcome Your Fear of Loss? Read This

6. Get rid of toxic people

One of the things that are preventing you from being true to yourself is the toxic and negative people in your life. These types of people seem to like your real friend, but they’re not.

You have to know who those people are that are pulling you down every time you try to fly. After identifying them, try to distance yourself from those people.

And if you think that their absence makes your life much better, then cut them out of your life permanently. 

7. Learn to say “no”

Do you know that feeling when you don’t want to do a certain thing but you just can’t say no to that person because you don’t wanna hurt them? But what if you’re hurt or aren’t happy by doing it?

Does that still make it so worthwhile than your own happiness? You have to know that you can’t make everyone in the world happy. Don’t sacrifice your needs in place of others’ desires. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

What is being true to yourself?

Being true to yourself is a personal choice for truth; making choices about how you want to live. Being true to yourself means you don’t worry about pleasing other people; living by someone else’s standards or rules. You don’t care what people think of you. You live as your natural self.

How can I be true to myself in a relationship?

• Be honest about what you like. 
• Don’t hide your weirdness.  
• Maintain your other relationships.  
• Keep up with your hobbies.  
• Learn how to say no.  
• Don’t rely on them for everything.  
• Try to let go of your insecurities.

Is being true to yourself selfish?

When we think too highly of ourselves, and our true desires are selfish ones, we will only bring harm and pain to others. This can go as far as just being rude and inconsiderate, to the extreme of criminal behavior. The flip side of the coin when considering being true to yourself is a serious one.

Can you lose your personality?

You can never really ‘lose’ your personality. But there are significant things in your life that may obscure, diminish, or suppress it.   Another big impact on our personality can be through disease and illness. Serious conditions such as stroke, dementia and Parkinson’s can change our personality significantly.

What it feels like to lose yourself?

You may feel as though you can’t fully grasp anything: the thoughts that swirl around in your brain or the emotions that tug at your heart. You may feel like things are fleeting: one second you’re sad, the next you’re super energetic. You may feel these highs and lows more intensely than ever before.