We all want to be happier, we all want less inner conflict. Would you like to make better decisions in your life? Would you like to become the best version of yourself that you can be? Becoming genuine is the way to do it. Let the real you shine through and feel the difference.
Becoming genuine is not just something you do in one part of your life. It seeps into every aspect of your being, encompasses all your choices and actions. It means you’re living life on your terms. You’re living to be the best version of yourself.
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Perhaps you’ve been struggling with your goals? You’re not really feeling aligned with your purpose?
Pursuing the goals that are right for you is the most important thing that you can do to become your true self.
When you do things that do not reflect who you really are or what you honestly care about, you will not be happy or fulfilled.
If you don’t really know yourself then you’ll never be able to live up to your own expectations.
Self-knowledge unlocks the door to leading a genuine life.
What are the benefits of finding out who you really are?
- You will be happier
- You will have better self-control
- You will have less inner conflict
- You can make better decisions
- You develop empathy for others
- You become the best version of yourself
So, how do you find out what you need to know, to be more genuine?
Your values
Reflecting on and writing about what you value in this world can increase the likelihood that you choose actions that are based on those values. Your values are what you find most important in your world.
Your strengths
What you’re best at and use most consistently in your life. These are not only your skills and talents but also your character traits. Knowing your strengths and listening to what others say are your strongest abilities and traits, can help you leverage these to carry out your goals or improve parts of yourself that are less strong.
Your purpose
Purpose is fundamental in life. It gives you a reason to work hard and to try and improve yourself. Purpose is what gives meaning to your actions and choices. Finding your purpose can provide you with a way toward personal fulfillment.
Your interests
Interests provide you with activities that help you get more enjoyment out of life. Your interests can include your hobbies and passions. Your interests help you get more enjoyment from life, connect with other people, and reduce your everyday stress.
Your personality
Your personality is made up of many different preferences, temperaments, and habits. It includes how you relate to other people (introvert vs extrovert), whether you plan ahead or go with the flow, how you make decisions. Often, when we are feeling out of sorts, it is because a situation is requiring us to go against the natural grain of our personality.
Your natural rhythms
Knowing how your body responds and acts throughout the day is important. Your rhythms include your normal peak work times, when you feel the most energetic or creative, the times your body prefers to sleep, how much sleep you need to feel rested, how often you need to eat to feel healthy and revitalized, and how you prefer to flow throughout your days. Knowing these things can help you organize your work, choose a partner, and even make plans with friends to increase your enjoyment of your activities.
Are you Genuine?
Not sure if you are being as genuine as you possibly can?
Well, some warning signs can tell you that you may need to focus more on being authentic in your daily life. Here a just a few of the things to watch out for. These are behaviors that may indicate you could be more genuine.
If you often admonish yourself for things you did or said, you may be feeling shame over not being genuinely yourself with others.
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If you continuously feel awkward, it may be a sign you feel like an impostor in your own life.
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If you constantly feel resentful, it could be a sign that you aren’t saying what you mean or acting in your most genuine ways.
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If you persistently feel that others misunderstand you, it possible they may not be getting a very genuine version of you.
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If you spend a lot of time thinking about getting away from people, it could be a sign that you are tired of pretending who you are in front of others.
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If you are afraid to change yourself or your life in a significant way, it could be because you are focused too much on other peoples’ expectations instead of your own happiness.
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If you are continually battling perfectionism, your focus may be more on impressing other people than on pursuing what genuinely makes you happy.
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If your life just feels “off,” there is a good chance you are living someone else’s version of your truth, not your own.
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If you are constantly disappointed in yourself, then you are repressing your true values and needs in favor of some other pursuit that is not part of your genuine self.
Sound familiar? If any of these describe how you feel some or all of the time, then you need to start letting the real you shine through!
Be true to yourself
Even with self-knowledge, you can feel a conflict between your own values and those of society. So, while self-knowledge is the first step, learning to live by what you know about yourself is the second part.
Decide you want to be happy and authentic
The first rule of living the most genuine version of your life possible is to decide that you want to be happy being yourself. Keeping your heart and mind open to the opportunities that will make you happy is essential. When you make the conscious choice to choose happiness and genuine living, you are more likely to accept these experiences when they come as well as stick to your guns when you feel the pressure of others’ values creeping in on your life.
You don’t need approval
It does not matter if other people approve of or respect your choices. The only person you need to worry about disappointing is yourself. Seeking approval from others will only leave you feeling unfulfilled and alone. You will not become happy because of the right partner, the right job, a bigger paycheck, or a new house. Learning to live with and love yourself is the only true path to happiness.
Your failures should teach you lessons
Failures are learning opportunities. They teach us where we were led astray from our true selves or where we lacked self-knowledge in critical areas of our lives. Learn from the lessons life teaches you, and you will see how your life is genuinely yours.
Becoming genuinely yourself
Learning more about yourself and then actively expressing who you are and what you want in life is the path toward becoming more genuine with yourself and well as others. If you are ready to let your real self shine through, then you will need to focus on two types of work.
The first is increasing your self-knowledge, and the second is allowing that knowledge to guide you in your life.
Strategies you need to become genuinely yourself
Dig deep into your personality
Getting to know yourself means understanding your personality. When you see yourself engaging in certain behaviors, ask, “Why did I do that?” Look carefully at the motivations behind your actions.
Trust your instincts
Your gut instinct is connected to your inner values and motivations, which is why it rarely leads you astray. When you need to make big decisions in your life, learn to listen to that instinct and to trust what your gut is telling you. Learning to listen to this inner voice is important for learning to get to know and trust yourself as well as for leading a genuine life.
Identify your core values
The morals and principles that guide your life are extremely important to living as your genuine self. Getting to know what is important to you is a crucial step in learning to listen with authenticity. First, make a list of all the values you believe to be important in your life. After you have this large list, create a second that includes just the top eight most important.
Finally, narrow that list down further into your top three. These are the values that guide your long-term goals and dreams. Now, what does this tell you about yourself? In what areas of your life are you living according to these values? And in what areas do you see some room for improvement?
Admit your truth
If you can’t be honest with yourself, you can’t be honest and genuine with anyone else in your life. Speaking aloud or writing down your true feelings, expressing your true purpose or wishes in life is essential for learning to become more genuine. If you can’t say these things to others quite yet, you should at least be able to say them to yourself.
Admit to yourself your darkest fears, your wildest dreams, your true inner grief.
Love and care for your body
If there is one part of ourselves that it is most often difficult to love unconditionally, it is our physical form. Accepting ourselves for who we are means learning to appreciate our bodies as well as our hearts. Learn to listen to and care for your body.
Confront your fears
Most of the time, when we are choosing not to be genuine with ourselves or others, it comes from fear. It comes from being afraid of rejection or loneliness, of ridicule or failure. When you are having trouble being genuine about something in your life, it is time to ask yourself, “What exactly am I afraid of?” Naming your fears can help you confront and control them.
Get in touch with your dreams
The hopes and dreams you hold in your heart are your pathways to fulfillment and happiness. When you know what you are striving toward and wish to achieve in this world, you can live a life that makes you proud, and you become the most genuine version of yourself. Do not just settle for vague dreams of “someday” and “wouldn’t it be nice if…” Dig into it and figure out what will really make you happy. Then, make the pursuit of this dream something you work on every day.
Engage in your passions
Find something you genuinely love and do it with all your heart. Whether you enjoy scuba diving, reading, doing yoga, making art, singing, or running, find something that lights you up and do it unabashedly. Interests and hobbies keep you motivated and provide you with fun ways to express yourself and explore who you are.
Get in touch with your inner child
Many times, we have interests, hobbies, and dreams as a child that we lose touch with as we age. Sometimes, it is helpful as an adult to reconnect with these parts of our youth to see how they make us feel today.
Express your feelings
If you want to be your authentic self, you must not be afraid to share with others how you really feel. When you learn to express your emotions in healthy and productive ways, it tells others more about who you are, and it allows you to live as yourself without hiding behind false feelings.
Be courageous
When you try to be yourself to others, it can feel very vulnerable, particularly when you are first beginning to embrace authenticity. Have courage knowing that you are becoming more genuine in order for others to better know and understand you and because it is what you deserve in life.
Learning to be yourself takes practice, and the more you do it, the easier it becomes.
Encourage others
If you want to have more courage for yourself, help others to be more genuine in their lives, as well. Become more curious about your friends and loved ones. Ask them questions to encourage them to share parts of themselves with you.
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If you’re not the genuine person you should be, it will take time to turn that around. By starting today, you’ve taken the first step. Become genuine is the path to true fulfillment and happiness.
Remember to download the free 17-page report on Becoming Genuine so you can print it out (or read it on a digital device) and refer back to it whenever you want.
Disclaimer: For educational purposes only. I am not a doctor or a psychologist. This is my approach to happiness, not advice. I make no medical claims about being a doctor or curing anything. We are NOT providing medical advice. Always consult your physician for medical treatment and advice. The opinion shared on this page has not been evaluated by the FDA. Any products and methods provided are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any illness or disease, nor is it intended to replace proper medical help.
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