How to Not Be Fake
Be yourself., Listen to your inner voice., Look inside yourself, rather than in a mirror., Take a step back from social media., Evaluate what matters to you.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Be yourself.
Sometimes we feel like we have to act a certain way to "fit in" and feel accepted.
The reality is, it's a lot harder "faking it" than it is to just be yourself.
It can be emotionally and physically draining, and often times makes you feel worse about yourself.
Peer pressure can be difficult when all you want is for people to accept you.
But true acceptance starts with yourself.
Learn to be compassionate toward yourself — forgive mistakes and learn from them.
Remember that there never has been and never will be anyone else exactly like you, and that's a pretty amazing thing.No one can do you as well as you can.
As Judy Garland said, "Always be a first-rate version of yourself and not a second-rate version of someone else." Be optimistic that people will like you for you. -
Step 2: Listen to your inner voice.
When we're not sure of ourselves, we're influenced by what others think or say to determine who we are and how we act.
Each day, reflect on what you really think about a situation, person, or action with the ultimate goal of voicing or acting in accordance with your values in order to live genuinely.
Your inner voice helps to tell you the difference between what's right and wrong.
Are you acting in a way that you think is right, and matches what you really think? Or are you just "going along with everyone else"? Think about someone who is heroic for their efforts in the community.
What do you think that hero would do? By following your intuition, you will get closer to who you really are.
Don't be afraid to listen.
Focus less on judging others, and more on accepting them (and yourself) for who they are.
Practice being assertive, meaning you clearly express yourself while respecting the views and beliefs of others. , What you wear and how much money you (or your family) has does not define you.
Pretending to "have it all" by wearing fancy clothes or acting better than other people isn't genuine or sincere.
Being real means being honest about what you want versus need, hope versus fear, and like versus dislike. "Dressing to impress" is not a requirement 24/7.
While it is healthy to look good, and have others compliment you, you cannot define your sense of self only by what others say or think. , In our modern world, there are lots of ways we can create artificial, or "fake," images of ourselves in order to feel better.
Your Instagram or Facebook selfie may look good in that moment, but it's not who you are as a true person.
It is an image and nothing else.
Getting people to "follow" or "like" you in social media can have an emotional toll, as you feel the need to compete with others for attention rather than thinking about what really matters in life., Instead of trying to get attention or make people respect you through your external image, understand that people will actually pay attention to you if you really have something to say.
Think about your values.
Values determine what is important to you, and being "real" means your actions and words are in line with your values.
If compassion and human rights are what matter to you, don't worry too much about things like social standing; act out of compassion and kindness.
For instance, if no one is sitting next to the new girl at lunch because she seems really geeky, go ahead and join her.
Superficial people are not open to difficult situations.
Rather than avoiding people when they don't "fit in," lend a hand, and make an impact in a real and honest way.
We all have ups and downs in life.
Share both the ups and the downs, not just one or the other. -
Step 3: Look inside yourself
-
Step 4: rather than in a mirror.
-
Step 5: Take a step back from social media.
-
Step 6: Evaluate what matters to you.
Detailed Guide
Sometimes we feel like we have to act a certain way to "fit in" and feel accepted.
The reality is, it's a lot harder "faking it" than it is to just be yourself.
It can be emotionally and physically draining, and often times makes you feel worse about yourself.
Peer pressure can be difficult when all you want is for people to accept you.
But true acceptance starts with yourself.
Learn to be compassionate toward yourself — forgive mistakes and learn from them.
Remember that there never has been and never will be anyone else exactly like you, and that's a pretty amazing thing.No one can do you as well as you can.
As Judy Garland said, "Always be a first-rate version of yourself and not a second-rate version of someone else." Be optimistic that people will like you for you.
When we're not sure of ourselves, we're influenced by what others think or say to determine who we are and how we act.
Each day, reflect on what you really think about a situation, person, or action with the ultimate goal of voicing or acting in accordance with your values in order to live genuinely.
Your inner voice helps to tell you the difference between what's right and wrong.
Are you acting in a way that you think is right, and matches what you really think? Or are you just "going along with everyone else"? Think about someone who is heroic for their efforts in the community.
What do you think that hero would do? By following your intuition, you will get closer to who you really are.
Don't be afraid to listen.
Focus less on judging others, and more on accepting them (and yourself) for who they are.
Practice being assertive, meaning you clearly express yourself while respecting the views and beliefs of others. , What you wear and how much money you (or your family) has does not define you.
Pretending to "have it all" by wearing fancy clothes or acting better than other people isn't genuine or sincere.
Being real means being honest about what you want versus need, hope versus fear, and like versus dislike. "Dressing to impress" is not a requirement 24/7.
While it is healthy to look good, and have others compliment you, you cannot define your sense of self only by what others say or think. , In our modern world, there are lots of ways we can create artificial, or "fake," images of ourselves in order to feel better.
Your Instagram or Facebook selfie may look good in that moment, but it's not who you are as a true person.
It is an image and nothing else.
Getting people to "follow" or "like" you in social media can have an emotional toll, as you feel the need to compete with others for attention rather than thinking about what really matters in life., Instead of trying to get attention or make people respect you through your external image, understand that people will actually pay attention to you if you really have something to say.
Think about your values.
Values determine what is important to you, and being "real" means your actions and words are in line with your values.
If compassion and human rights are what matter to you, don't worry too much about things like social standing; act out of compassion and kindness.
For instance, if no one is sitting next to the new girl at lunch because she seems really geeky, go ahead and join her.
Superficial people are not open to difficult situations.
Rather than avoiding people when they don't "fit in," lend a hand, and make an impact in a real and honest way.
We all have ups and downs in life.
Share both the ups and the downs, not just one or the other.
About the Author
Jean Gonzales
A passionate writer with expertise in practical skills topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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