Nighttime view of Golden Gate Bridge on a dark blue sky background; California
Just as I am, what does it mean? Is it okay for me to be different? What does it mean to accept me as I am? The questions above are just a few of the ones we all face now and then.
The older we get, the more we start to question our identities. Is who I am the person that I want to be?
As important as these questions are, they can also be overwhelming. Accepting who you are can be challenging, especially when you aren’t used to being yourself.
No matter how it may seem, you do not have to answer all those questions at once. Instead, take it one step at a time.
But as much as these questions are important, they can also be overwhelming. Accepting who you are is hard, especially when you’re not used to being yourself.
Even though it can feel like everyone is asking these questions at once, you don’t have to answer them all at once. Instead, take it one step at a time.
What does it mean to be just as I am?
What does it mean to be yourself? Accepting who you are can be challenging, especially if you compare yourself to others and what they wear, say, or look like.
You lose sight of yourself as long as you obsess over what others are wearing, blogging, tweeting, or Instagramming. It is important to remember that you are not alone and do not have to compare yourself to anyone else.
Find your own identity
Achieving your own identity means going beyond the norms of society. Try looking for your unique characteristics rather than comparing yourself to others.
See yourself as an individual rather than a member of a group. As you begin to see yourself in your own right, you become less influenced by society’s stereotypes.
For instance,
A young woman was always told that she was too fat, ugly, and shy. She believed it, too. So much so that she spent her days hiding away in her room, eating junk food and watching TV.
One day, she decided to make a change. She started by going on a diet and working out. And slowly but surely, she began to see results. She lost weight and gained confidence.
The best part was that she finally began to believe in herself. She realized that she was worthy of love, just as she was.
Don’t compare yourself to others
Comparing yourself with others can demoralize you. Rather, learn from the experiences of others.
However, this does not mean you should ignore other people; instead, you should not compare yourself to them. Through learning from others’ experiences, you will find your path.
Celebrate your uniqueness
Take pride in who you are as a unique individual. When you celebrate your uniqueness, you begin to see yourself as an individual rather than part of a group.
Conclusion
The importance of finding your own identity and not comparing yourself to others cannot be overstated. As a result, you can begin accepting the person you are as an individual.
We all have our own identities, so be sure to respect and appreciate yours. Being proud of who you are as a unique individual begins when you discover your own identity and stop comparing yourself to others.
QUOTES
I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.
Mahatma Gandhi
To be nobody but yourself in a world that is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle that any human being can fight, and never stop fighting.
E.E. Cummings
modern city skyline with interchange overpass
The individual has always struggled to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself. Friedrich Nietzsche
Don’t let others box you into their idea of what they think you should be. A confined identity is a miserable way to exist. Be you and live free. Trust that in living true to yourself, you will attract people that support and love you, just as you are.
Jaeda DeWalt
How are many more of us faking the facade? How are many more of us pretending to be something we’re not? How many of us will have the courage to be ourselves regardless of what others think?
Katie McGarry
At bottom every man knows well enough that he is a unique being, only once on this earth; and by no extraordinary chance will such a marvelously picturesque piece of diversity in unity as he is, ever be put together a second time.
