How to Stop Being Normal so You Can Start Being Yourself

Being yourself is the best advice for peace of mind

Photo by Nick Owuor (astro.nic.visuals) on Unsplash

There’s one thing I’ve heard my mother say countless times. She’s always told me to be myself.

She’s said it so often and it sounds like a common and simple advice but becoming myself has taken me a while and in fact, I am still becoming me.

That’s the woman who likes to read and write. That’s the woman who finds great comfort in being surrounded by books.

That’s the woman who believes in empowerment. That’s the woman fueled by conversations that enlighten and inspire.

That’s the woman who loves art. The woman who loves quiet. The woman who enjoys movies. The woman who loves to laugh. To run. A woman who is moved by music. A woman who loves God.

Here is how to become more of the woman you want to be.

Own Up To Your Truth

Photo by Nick Grant on Unsplash

To become more of yourself, you must own up to your truth. The truth of who you are.

I first owned up to the truth in college by choosing to study English Literature and Journalism. I initially wanted to hold on to law, but my heart belongs to Literature and I’ve accepted that.

What truth are you holding on to? What passions are you stifling and letting go of because of your fears?

It’s time that you own up to the reality of who you are.

Let Go Of the Need to Be Accepted by Everyone

When I was younger, I felt inadequate. I felt I wasn’t understood and accepted. This affected me from getting to know myself and being me.

One of the ways I’ve been able to let go of caring what others think about me is by accepting that not everyone will like me.

Not everyone is going to see me for who I am. Not everyone is going to accept me and I’m alright with that.

The sooner you get over wanting to be liked by everyone else, the better off you will be. It will free you up to being yourself.

Embrace your Uniqueness

You must embrace the things that make you who you are. If you like to write, then write.

If you like to tell jokes, then go ahead and do stand-up comedy. If you like to dance, then go ahead and bust a move. If you like to dress in bright colours, then put on what makes you feel good.

Be who you are by embracing all that makes you different. Therein lies the great beauty of you.

Be Willing to Fail

One of the best ways for you to become more of yourself is to take chances and risks. Go after things. Try and fail. Try and get embarrassed.

Sure, it won’t initially feel good, but the result is that you learn. You learn more about who you are. You learn more about what you want.

Particularly for young adults not sure about their careers. Be willing to dip your feet in different places.

Get a job you did not expect. Find out which skills are your best ones. Trial and error will help you to gain a better understanding of you.

Gravitate to what ignites light and Joy in You

Let yourself be in spaces and places that bring you joy and happiness.

Also, surround yourself with people that make you happy.

If something feels familiar and good to you, then don’t recline but push forward.

Understand what you Want and Need from Life

The truth is that you can’t become yourself without knowing what it is you want from life.

Becoming more of you will require you to ask yourself some questions.

Some of these questions could be what are your goals?

What do you want to be known for?

What brings you happiness?

What is needed for you to get to your next level?

You can’t get what you want without knowing what you are seeking.

Consider Your Definitions and Associations about Yourself

One of the things I learned from therapy is about having a negative association with the way I see myself.

It was even little things about associating reading with being a nerd and not cool. These seemingly little things can lead to a negative outlook on oneself and thus you not embracing who you are.

You must be careful of the negative definitions and associations you put on yourself and your dreams because it affects your willingness to go after what you want.

Have you convinced yourself that people in the arts can’t be successful? That’s probably why you are not pursuing a career you love.

You must associate the parts of who you are with positivity. Don’t downgrade yourself.

Final Thoughts

My mother’s advice is perhaps one of the best advice she’s given me. It rings true in my childhood. It rings true in adolescence. It rings true in adulthood.

She said to be myself. I didn’t know then how powerful that was but as I grow older, I see that being myself makes life better.

Being myself is what makes me happy because I do what I love. Being myself is what gives me purpose because I feel a greater meaning in doing what matters to me.

Being myself is what helps me form genuine connections because by following my path and my dreams, I connect with others with similar dreams and that makes for a more beautiful journey.

My dear, I give you the same advice my mother gave me: Be yourself.