Well, I did not post to my blog for a few weeks and here I am making my second post in two days?!? Ah, to be human…
I came across a quote when I was writing my book last summer that I love. “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.” This was said my the famous Oscar Wilde. What a great statement. As simple as this is, many of us (myself included) struggle to do just this – BE OURSELVES.
Our obsessions with being liked, looking good, getting ahead, fitting in, and more make it difficult for us to truly be ourselves. We worry that if we really said, felt, and acted in a way that was truly authentic, we might lost our jobs, our friends, and our way of life. Or, even if our fears are not this extreme, we are at least concerned that being authentic would cause problems and upset people in our daily lives. Therefore, it is way easier to fall in line, do and say what we are “supposed” to, and work hard to “make it” in life as best we can.
However, selling out on who we truly are, how we honestly feel, and what we authentically want only leads to frustration, anger, and resentment. The truth is, we are not really taught to be ourselves, express ourselves, or be authentic. We don’t usually learn authenticity from our parents, teachers, leaders, or peers.
It is a courageous act to step out and be who we really are. And, it is an on-going process in life. Being true to ourselves does not necessarily mean arguing, protesting, or getting in people’s faces (although it could), it simply means we do, say, feel, think, and express ourselves in ways that are real, vulnerable, and true to our hearts – regardless of the reaction of others or what we think other people want from us. It is not easy, but all of us have experienced it, even in a small way, throughout our lives. And, having experienced this, we all know the peace and freedom that comes from this level of truth and authenticity.
Most people I talk to are longing for a world of deeper truth, authenticity, and freedom. It is easy to get people to agree that most politicians, people in the media, and even many people around them are “full of it” to some degree or other. However, it is harder for most of us to admit that we, too, are mostly “full of it” in how we live our lives and operate on a daily basis. I don’t say this as a negative judgement of myself or the rest of us on the planet, just as an observation. When each of us is willing to truly be ourselves, tell the truth, and live with a deeper level of authenticity, we will not only create a greater sense of personal freedom in our lives, we will be doing our part to create a new culture in which we all can live with more freedom, peace, and fun. Wouldn’t that be great?
With Love and Truth,
Mike
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