Be your true self

Sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of who we are. Surrounded 24/7 by media telling us who we should be, hours spent scrolling through Instagram/Facebook at all those ‘perfect’ life’s, comparing our own inadequate ones to them, and feeling that if only we were more like them then all would be great… All too often we try to be someone else, try to be who we think we *should* be, be what we think our mothers/husbands/friends/children want us to be, instead of being our own true self. Living life that way will never make you truly happy. I spent years caught in a cycle of self-hate and eating disorders, desperately trying to be someone else and ignoring who I really was. It was only when I stopped and acknowledged my true self that I began to heal and find happiness.

1// Take a look in the mirror – figure out what it is that YOU like and what you want out of life. Ask yourself what you would do if you were not afraid. If you’re struggling to figure out just what it is that you want, talk it over with a friend or perhaps get some spiritual advice from TheCircle to help you out.

2// Make peace with yourself – stop beating yourself up for all that you are not, and instead celebrate all that you are. Make a list of all the things that you are fantastic at. You don’t have to be perfect at everything, but give yourself some kudos for the things you do excel at.

3// Stand up for what you belief in – don’t be afraid to speak your mind, and remember it’s ok to have your own beliefs.

4// Live in the presen – living in the here and now helps me stay true to myself. When I’m thinking about tomorrow or next week, chances are I’m not fully engaging in life. When I’m fully present in the moment, I’m more likely to be true to who I am.

5// Rely on yourself – in the past, I put everything onto other people – looking to them to make me happy and to give me the life I wanted. I had to learn to rely on myself, to actively create the life that I wanted and to make myself happy – other people can help, but they cannot do it for you.

What are your top tips for being your true self?

post in collaboration with TheCircle