To Thy Own Self be True

Life is not always easy, and it seems that we are great at making things harder for ourselves than they need to be. One of the most important rules an individual should live by is: To Thy Own Self be True. Thank you, Shakespeare!

Do you know who you really are? Do you accept this individual or are you constantly trying to be someone else? It is a sure way to create stress if you are constantly ignoring your inner self. There are many options that may be used as stress solutions. This does not mean you have to accept what you feel is a negative aspect of your being. Marissa Hakansson wrote an article, for the site MindBodyGreen; ‘The Importance of Being True to Yourself.’ Marissa is a lifestyle strategist whose goal is to help individuals learn to awaken “a deep-sense of inner wellbeing and create space in their life to be who they truly are.”

She states that in her own quest,

“I was exhausting myself through constant striving and seeking. Looking for what was missing (outside of myself), when what was missing in my life was more of ‘me‘.”

If you have a quality that you do not like, first you must accept it as real. Then take the needed steps to change it from a negative quality to a positive one. An example could be: you have started to feel old and to counteract this you have begun to act, speak and dress as someone twenty years younger. Aging is difficult for many to accept, so know you are not alone. Trying to force the years away is not the answer  You need to learn to accept them and use the knowledge you have learned in becoming secure with this stage of maturity in life.

A quote from Ms. Hakansson:

“To know your truth fully and express it authentically, you first need to cultivate a deep and trusting relationship with yourself. Ultimately, this begins with awareness of your thoughts, as well as awareness of your whole-body experience and how you interact with the world each day.”

She speaks of developing practices in meditationyoga and journal writing as means to become more introspective. When you are able to pay attention to the ‘real you’, your confidence level rises and this makes you more able to face the obstacles in your life. There will no longer be the need to pretend you are something else.

Also from the MindBodyGreen site is an article by Jennifer Pastiloff, ‘6 Ways to Get Unstuck.’ One way we deviate from staying true to ourselves is by letting ourselves become overwhelmed, or pushed into a corner.

“I did a scientific experiment that involved a lot of stuff, and here is what I found works best to get me unstuck and back to my Manifesting Self.”

She speaks of laughing, singing out loud. Seeking out those who inspire you helps you reach out beyond your normal comfort range. Jennifer uses vision boards (of any design) where you can put images of your dreams and desires. Taking a class, she says, can do wonders for opening up new frontiers of knowledge. Yoga, or some other activity as simple as ‘walking the beach’ is a great stress reliever. Finally she speaks of just doing something that makes you feel good, such as reading a good book, calling an old friend, playing with your children. What ever it is… just do it!

Finding your true self does not have to be a struggle. With suggestions as listed above, plus more on the sites linked to, it can become an exciting journey. It can become a journey that will make you into that person you truly are. This accomplishment will then enable you to face life in a stronger and less stress filled way. We are able to help you in starting down this journey. Contact us and let us guide you.

If you are interested in taking action to move your health to the next level, please apply for a complimentary ”Get Your Life Back” Strategy Session by filling out the contact form on https://doctorallie.com/contact/ (Please note – it doesn’t matter where you are in the world for you to benefit, as long as you have an internet connection or phone line)

Comments

  1. Knowing who you are, what your values are, and how your life expresses this in a consistent way is probably one of the secrets of happiness. I loved this post. Speaking the language of laughing is such a wonderful way of explaining it. And, I agree, when we do this there is less stress and much better health as a result.

  2. Great tips. Taking better care of myself has been on my mind since I’ve been working hard and now I have a cold. I took a nap today and went to our local farm to pick green beans and flowers, and where I did sing out loud since no one could hear me. It felt great. I think I may even schedule self-care into my calendar.

  3. Awesome reminders Allison! I agree completely that there is so much stress in trying to fit oneself into a box of outside expectations or turn ourselves into a pretzel to please others – I have seen so many people do this – women especially. I’m glad you are here to point out how important it is to shift these patterns and to find self awareness. I find it’s important to make sure that I check in with who I am on a fairly regular basis – and have seasonal rituals to do so – because I’m always evolving too!

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