Why do we want to change?

People struggle to find their true identity in this transient world. We change , consistently trying to fit into a group abandoning our real selves. One mostly falls prey to the illusion that he will be better accepted  if he changes. In reality, one truly does not need to bother at all whether he is liked better or not if he is not in his true self. The individual is expected to have a clear idea about who he is and his life aspirations. Trying, or even thinking about changing is a blotch on his uniqueness.

Believing in one’s true self is one of the most important lessons one can learn. It gives the motivation and inspiration that takes one towards his goals. Focus on what you really want and not what you are not. Enjoying every aspect of one’s life is something that will make us feel thankful as we grow older. Stressing over the little things  hurts and affects our mental state. Maintaining positivity around us will ensure a smooth ride across our life experience.

 

The importance of the self

Successful people have always dared to express their true selves, while broadening the perspective of others. Knowing oneself is the beginning of all wisdom. Without self-discovery one is unaware of the direction life takes for him.  One is unaware of what he wants to do in life and rendered incapable of taking decisions.

Self-discovery is just as important as breathing. If one does not know who he is, his potential and opportunities, then he is unaware of his purpose in life. Life becomes merely a skating surface. When you find out who you are, the world is open to you, empowering you to accomplish large objectives.

We tend to appear as someone else when we feel we are not fulfilling our role sufficiently as our own selves. It is a sense of diffidence and insecurity that makes us be what we are not. Ironically, it is only when we behave as someone we are not that we actually need to apologize;  not when we are our real selves. Barack Obama, the first black President of the USA has been one of the most popular Presidents till date as he never had any inhibition nor ever try to be what he is not.

 

The secret mantra for self-conduct

So, do not be afraid to be who you are!. Let us live our  lives consistent with your highest values and aspirations. When we respect ourselves, others will respect us and  sense that we are strong, confident, and capable of standing up for ourselves and our beliefs. We allow our individuality and uniqueness to shine through. We respect the opinions of others, without conforming to stereotypes, or their expectations. Difficult as it may seem at first, all it needs is the courage to accept ourselves as we are, not as someone else thinks we should be.  We need  to be introspective, sincere, open-minded and fair; respectfully disallowing others to intrude into our personal space.

To be true to yourself means to act in accordance with who you are and what you believe. Just as you cannot love anyone else until you love yourself, you cannot be true to anyone else until you are true to yourself.

 

About the authors

The article has been contributed by the following students from St Josephs High School, Matigara, Darjeeling: Komal Chowdhury and Kirtee Jha.