“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” ― Oscar Wilde
Live fully and be you. It is all well and good to have heroes you emulate and superstars you adore, but too many people spend their lives yearning to be someone else. It is bad enough never to be satisfied with who you truly are, but far worse never to discover who you are—never to blossom, bloom and become your full self.
“You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching;
Love like you’ll never be hurt;
Sing like there’s nobody listening;
And live like it’s heaven on earth.”
–William W. Purkey
After all your achievements that gratify others’ expectations—after your best efforts on the ladder of success—true happiness will elude you until you begin to live in full expression of you.
Per Bernard M. Baruch: “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”
QUESTIONS:
Many forces seek to inhibit freedom of self-expression. As examples: Corporate culture demands conformity to their rules of professionalism; political correctness puts social taboos on free expression; and, religion requires that you transform from who you are to who you ought to be. But…
— What about authenticity?
— How can one be free?
— Is freedom overrated?
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This is a very provocative question that got me thinking. Then again, nothing is as straightforward as the initial thought or the initial action to get to the desired outcome. Yes, “Live Fully and Out Loud”. Be yourself. Then again, that idea of being oneself, where was it’s origin? If you, then is it a modification of someone else that you’ve now made uniquely yours? Whose trinkets, toys, stuff, etc are you now using to live your dream of true self and happiness? Not all natural instincts and behaviors or learned practice are good for me or those I love and care for regardless of how happy, free and authentic such things may make me feel. I do believe however, there is a healthy balance somewhere that is unique to everyone. Life seems to be more like a molecule of water flowing down a mountain in a meanderings river. Find pleasure in the journey to the sea. For once water gets to the sea, it sits there in that body (ocean) until who knows when, to be changed into water vapor and to be raptured by evaporation to some unknown destination in a cloud in the sky. Meanwhile, learn to enjoy the river journey of life with its rapids, waterfalls, whirlpools and the occasional oxbow lake.
Steven, well said. The challenge is how does one accomplish that healthy balance to which you refer, when the subject is such distantly separated states of being…being yourself versus conforming to external expectations. How does one do both to achieve that balance?