If you haven’t noticed, I’ve been evolving into a new version of myself lately. This last year has been challenging. Actually, it’s been every emotion in the book for me, if I’m honest.
If I had to describe my evolution in one word, it would be: transformative. It’s honestly the closest I’ve ever been to knowing and loving myself fully.
Society often describes personal evolution as a caterpillar-to-butterfly transformation, but it’s not always that simple, especially with all the noise surrounding you trying to dictate the right way to live your life.
While my caterpillar-to-butterfly transformation may feel less like a beautiful, eye-catching transformation and more like an anxious emotion-filled mess, I know there’s one thing that keeps me grounded, and that’s staying true to myself.
Now, don’t get me wrong, staying true to yourself can be a challenge in today’s fast-paced, ever-changing world.
With social media, peer pressure, and societal expectations constantly bombarding us, it can be difficult to maintain a sense of self and stay true to who we are.
However, staying true to yourself is one of the most important things you can do for your personal growth and well-being.
While I am not a subject matter expert, I have the life experience to tell you that being anything but yourself is kind of lame. In fact, the best thing you can do for yourself and the world is to live as the most authentic version of yourself unapologetically.
So, here, we’ll explore some tips and strategies for staying true to yourself, even on hard days when you want to curl up under the covers and pretend like the transformation you chose for yourself doesn’t exist.
Know Yourself
The first step in staying true to yourself is to know yourself.
This means understanding your values, beliefs, strengths, and weaknesses. Take time to reflect on what matters most to you and what brings you joy and fulfillment.
This self-awareness will help you make decisions that align with your authentic self, even when it feels impossible.
One of the only things that has gotten me through my latest transformation is a deep understanding of what I want, need, and deserve. Without knowing that, I would have fallen back into the trap of choosing what’s comfortable over what’s meant for me.
Set Boundaries
Setting boundaries is essential to staying true to yourself.
This means learning to say no to things that don’t align with your values or goals and prioritizing your needs and desires.
It also means surrounding yourself with people who support and encourage you rather than those who bring you down or pressure you to conform.
When you find yourself in situations that drain you, always choose yourself.
Trust Your Intuition
Learning to trust your intuition is key to staying true to yourself.
Your intuition is the inner voice that guides you toward what feels right and true for you.
This means listening to your gut instincts, even if they go against what others may be saying or doing.
Trusting your intuition will help you make decisions that feel authentic and aligned with your true self, even when choosing yourself feels impossible.
Practice Self-Care
Okay, I get it. The mainstream media has turned self-care into this bogus idea that spa days and eating extra calories that you’ve deprived yourself of are showing up for yourself when you need it most.
While those things can be wonderful, they’re not the only way to achieve self-care (PS- don’t deprive yourself. You’re worthy and should follow your heart).
Anyway, taking care of yourself is crucial to staying true to yourself.
This means prioritizing self-care activities that nourish your mind, body, and spirit, such as exercise, meditation, spending time in nature, and engaging in hobbies you enjoy.
When you feel good about yourself, you are more likely to make choices that align with your authentic self.
Embrace Your Uniqueness
If there is anything you take away from this post, I want this point to be it: one of the most important things you can do to stay true to yourself is to embrace your uniqueness.
You are a one-of-a-kind individual with your own unique set of gifts and talents.
Celebrate your individuality; don’t be afraid to express your true self. When you embrace your uniqueness, you inspire others to do the same.
Above all else, face change (whether chosen or not) with open arms. You never know when your next evolution will turn a series of confusing, overwhelming, and new events into the most beautiful transformation you've ever experienced.
Trust the process, and most importantly, trust yourself as you pave the path down your own beautiful, butterfly-filled journey.
