LIVE: BEING YOURSELF.

Some of us have gone through some experiences and challenges in the past that have made us question our existance, experiences that have made us doubt our worth. We've met people that have told us hurtful things based on how they view us. The society is always trying to change us into perfect people, friends always trying to get us to change to  be better because they feel like we are not good enough, our parents and siblings trying to change us because they feel like we do not meet their standards and their expectations. To some extend, these things get to our heads and we strive hard to change and become what other people expect us to be. We get scared of dissapointing our parents, our friends, our teachers and the society as a whole and in the process of trying to please them, we tend to forget who we truly are and our purpose in this world.
And so today, I want us to talk about being yourself. What  it means  to be yourself and how to go about it.
Being yourself  means you like who you are, it means living your life how you want it regardless of other peoples opinions. It means respecting and loving the person that you are. It means, knowing your faults and strengths and still accepting yourself. Being yourself does not mean you are selfish and inconsiderate of other peoples opinions, it simply means that you are aware of who you are and you do not allow peoples opinions to affect you.
Below are some of the keys to being yourself:
Understanding yourself - this is the ability to comprehend what makes you the person that you are.
This helps you to stand your ground when it comes to addressing issues without getting into petty fights and misunderstandings.
Forgiving yourself - the ability to accept your faults, and all the mistakes you have made and pardoning yourself without forgetting the lessons you leant from them.
This helps you to move on from your past mistakes.
Respecting yourself - realizing that you are special and yoy deserve to be treated with nothing less than respect.
Accepting yourself - believing in who you are, accepting yourself with all your strengths and weaknesses and loving yourself despite having faults.
Understanding your purpose - this is one of the most important part of learning to be yourself. When you understand your purpose then peoples opinions will not affect you because you come to realize that your purpose is far much greater than pleasing people and the society at large.
You ought to understand that your purpose is far greater than your own personal fulfilment, its far greater than your family and friends and therefore in order to know your purpose in this world, you must begin with God because you were born by his purpose and for his purpose. Therefore, do not change the person that you were intended to be just to please other people because they do not define you.
Do not allow peoples opinions about your life affect you, do not allow their negative vibes and judgemental statements about you define who you are. Do not let your friends change the person that you are. Do not let poor grades and all your flaws define you. Tell yourself a different story, feed your mind with positivity, believe in yourself, believe that you are smart, brilliant, brave and you deserve to be you. Show the world what you are made of, let them judge you, let them speak ill of you but choose to be you.
Accepting who you are and being yourself might be hard at times especially when you look at other people who seem to be perfect and so it requires patience. Its a process that requires a lot of work but the end result is worth all the trouble. But even on your journey to be yourself, don't forget ti stop for a minute and appreciate yourself and just tell yourself that you are doing great. Motivate yourself to keep moving ahead.