The theme for our event in September is ‘Be true to who you are’ and we have a fab line-up of speakers who are going to bring their individuality and uniqueness to the TEDx stage. But what does it mean to be true to you?
Do any of us really know who we are, or are we caught up playing all the different roles that society has given us? Are we being who we truly are, or are we simply stuck on the hamster wheel of life, moving from one task to the next until it’s done?
Being true to yourself requires an understanding of who you are. once all the layers are peeled back:
What are your strengths and your weaknesses?
What are your beliefs and who or what has shaped them?
What are you passion about? and
What’s your purpose in life – what are you here to achieve?
Why gets you excited, what really winds you up and why?
Once you know the answers to these questions you can create a life that’s aligned to who you are and positively reinforces the impact you want to make in the world. We may not be here for a long time but we can make sure we have the absolute best time.
THE NEED TO BELONG
Human beings are pack animals. We need to feel that we belong, that we’re part of something much bigger and stronger than we can be alone. Feeling wanted and accepted can make us feel safe and secure, yet in that need for acceptance we often ignore the ability to accept ourselves for who we are.
We fear judgement.
We’re afraid of what other people may think of us, or what they’re saying about us behind our backs. We worry that standing up for what we believe will force us to become outcasts in our own communities. We worry that we’ll be ostracised by the very people we love – but if they don’t love us for who we are, only what they want us to be, can their love be real?
Acceptance plays a huge role in being true to who we are.
Before we can embody who we really are, we have to accept ourselves; our quirks, our flaws and our imperfections. Only then can we truly show up as our authentic selves and make decisions based on what’s best for us. When you have rock solid belief in who you are, you become unstoppable!
FOLLOW YOUR NORTH STAR
Your belief in yourself becomes your North Star – the thing that keeps you on track and guides you through the maze of life.
If you’re presented with opportunities that don’t align with your values it’s easy to say no. If you don’t know who you are, or question who you are, you’ll make decisions based on the expectations of others, further blurring the lines between what you want and what others want from you.
Being true to yourself isn’t easy. We lead such busy lives that our own needs are often at the bottom of the priority list, therefore there’s no time to pause, take a breath and reconnect with who you are and what you want to be in this world.
If you’re struggling to reconnect with yourself, or have never really taken the time to truly connect with yourself then these six tips, published by PsychCentral, will help you get started:
- Practice Mindfulness – mindfulness helps you reconnect with yourself by encouraging you to pay attention to the present moment with openness, curiosity and acceptance
- Get Creative – creative expression, such as art, music or writing offers a way to express thoughts and emotions that can be hard to put into words
- Consider energy healing – energy healing can help remove disruption and imbalances in your body’s energy field, which can lead to physical, emotional and mental issues
- Immerse yourself in nature – nature helps you reconnect to yourself by providing a tranquil environment that encourages introspection and mindfulness.
- Align your actions with your values – reflect on what truly matters in your life. Aligning your actions to your values can bring a deep sense of purpose and authenticity.
- Express gratitude – it can deepen your self-awareness and mindfulness. It prompts you to reflect on and appreciate the positive aspects of your life and enhance your understanding of your values, priorities and emotions.
SMALL WINS OVER TIME
Remember to start small and build up slowly over time, you don’t have to try and master all of the six tips above at the same time as you’ll be setting yourself up to fail!
Choose one of the tips above and start to introduce them into your routine (it doesn’t have to be every day, once or twice a week is a great place to start, then gradually increase it so that it becomes a new daily practice)
Be aware of the changes that you’re experiencing and how much easier it feels to connect with who you are. Observe how that’s impacting your ability to show up and be true to who you are. Ironically, this is the true essence of mindfulness and gratitude, so you can technically tick three of the tips off your ever-growing to-do list!
For more tips and advice on how to be true to you, buy a ticket to attend our event at Hoxton Hall on 28th September and be prepared for a day full of inspiration and motivation. You can buy your ticket here