A lot of us go through life living for others, but not in the good way. We sacrifice our true being in order to be liked, not bother others, or to simply mask who we truly are.
I definitely have done this and am continuing to learn how to be my authentic self no matter who is around or how (I think) others will perceive me.
I went through several dark years where my very essence was robbed from me, and it was my fault. I lived for someone else. To please them and to beckon at their every call.
I realized over the past couple of years that being my true and genuine self has some sort of serendipitous side effects to it.
When you live true to who you are, do what you love for the sake of just doing it, when you step into life as your true self, life unfolds before you and blesses you with incredible experiences and the right people.
Not only does life unfold for you, life starts to become enjoyable. Life turns into something worth living and something that you can wake up excited to see what the day holds for you.
I went from suicidal, to being filled with joy… because I finally started listening to my inner voice and living true to who I am. It’s incredibly cathartic. And, surprisingly, people started really enjoying my presence.
Not living true to who you really are inside not only robs you of an enjoyable life experience, it takes away from other people who may need to see someone else living their true self to know that it’s okay for them to be the same - and to really enjoy life.
I’m so glad you were able to overcome your dark times, and have found life to be enjoyable and happy for you. I definitely think a lot of members needed a post like this, and I’m glad to reply and boost it so hopefully more people can see it soon. I think this is a post that we all should hold close to our hearts.
Thank you for everything you do to help make this community a better place.
I’m so glad to hear that you have continued to become a more authentic version of yourself, and appreciate you for sharing these inspirational words with the community. Even from my limited interactions with you, I can tell that you (and I mean the real, authentic you) are such a wonderful person and I’m glad that others around you are seeing that same thing.
Thank you again for sharing and contributing so much to this community. You’re amazing!
I believe we close ourselves off because we are afraid of getting hurt. Building a wall protects us, but it also keeps us from experiencing all the wonders life has to offer. Opening up and living in the moment gives life meaning. Being vulnerable seems risky, but it makes it matter. To become the best possible person we can be we have to stay true to ourselves. And then we are able to give so much more than if we were to try to be somebody we think others expect us to be.
I am often so much in my own mind that I overanalyse and think, and yes, it can increase the fear, because I only think about life instead of living and experiencing it.
This reminds me a bit of the book “Living, Loving and Learning” by Leo F. Buscaglia. I don’t know if you like to read, but I recommend it anyway.
