Be Your Authentic Self

"This above all: to thine own self be true." Hamlet Act 1, scene 3  No truer words of wisdom were ever written.  This profound sentence is often quoted but unfortunately the advice it offers is not usually followed.

The meaning of this quote from Hamlet is to always be true to one's self.  Being true to yourself means looking honestly at and accepting yourself completely. It means not only enjoying the qualities that you like but also being tolerant of your flaws and accepting yourself anyway. Be true to yourself even if it means going against popular opinion if it does not feel right to you. Just because the majority perceive or think a certain way does not mean it is correct.  Growing up in Niagara Falls, NY, my mother used to say, "If everyone else jumped over the falls, would you follow?"

Being true to yourself means not going along with the crowd. It's not worth popularity if a person goes against what he or she believes in.  That is superficiality.  Superficiality is not the way to honor yourself.  Be authentic in your life.  After all, where would society be if people just went along with popular opinion?  Think about it.  We would all think the earth was flat and the sun revolved around the planets.  How would countries and continents be discovered? How would theories such as gravity and relativity come to be? Who would think to combine unusual and seemingly strange ingredients to result in a delicious recipe?  I could go on but you get the idea.

Being true to ourselves means that we hold ourselves in high regard.  We have a sense of self respect and carry ourselves with dignity. Also, when we are true to ourselves, we have no regrets about the decisions we've made.  We obtain peace of mind and serenity.

A tranquil mind promotes feelings of hope and optimism.  When we are positive, we tend to see life and everyone around us in a different light.  As a result, we not only honor ourselves, but we honor others and the world as well.

Do Not Fear Change

Do not fear change.  Change leads to growth and new beginnings. Only fear familiarity.  Embracing familiarity leads to stagnation.

All growth throughout our lives began with change.  Our very existence is a result of change which led to growth.  An infant cannot advance in development without change.

Why are some people so afraid of change?  The answer in my opinion is fear of the unknown.  I believe it is the reason we stay in abusive or unfulfilled relationships and work in jobs we hate.  We don't know who or what else is out there.  Staying in these situations is emotionally safe because we know what to expect.  Change is nothing more than fear.

Fear is at the core of stagnation.  If we do not use our limbs (stagnation), our muscles develop atrophy.  If we do not stimulate our minds (stagnation), we stop thinking clearly.

Change is healthy.  It is not to be feared.  Change means growth and stimulation to our minds, bodies, and souls.  Trust in yourself enough to experience change without negativity.  Honor yourself enough to grow and advance.

Stagnation is the way to wither and die.  Change will bring new life experiences.  We all have the choice: fear change and wither or embrace change and grow!