“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” ~ Oscar Wilde
Sure, it sounds so easy, but what does that actually mean? And why do so many of us have such a hard time actually doing it?
We become “ourselves” when we let go of all of the labels, stories and judgments that have been placed on us by others – and most often placed upon ourselves.
It takes courage to dare to be an original because it means becoming vulnerable by opening ourselves up to the possibility of judgment. But the rewards of being authentic far outweigh the consequences we’ll suffer when we try to be someone we are not.
As the late Steve Jobs noted in his commencement speech at Stanford University:
“Your time is limited; so don’t waste it living someone else’s life… Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
It’s true. Life is too short to live it trying to be anything other than your true, original self. Be who you are, and be it the best way you know how.
