Few people understand what it means to be yourself, and to seek yourself is the lifelong goal of many people and a complex process that should be approached wisely. How to carry out this search so that it is not painful? Is it possible to find yourself and live with yourself in harmony? This will be discussed in this article.
Question definition
Throughout the course of our life, we are faced with the problem of self-realization and personal happiness. As we grow older, we increasingly understand how vast and complex the world is around us, and it is not always clear what to do in it, what our path is and where it leads. Some philosophers believe that the search for oneself is the only real meaning of life. However, what does it mean to be yourself - a quote that we find everywhere? And why is this "self" must be sought?
In this case, it is understood that we are initially what we are destined to be, we just need to find a path leading to this state. A huge number of cultural works and works of art in their desire to show the essence of man rely on this principle. For example, in the cult series Breaking Bad, the leitmotif is the idea that the protagonist Walter White has not changed due to tragic news, but only took the opportunity to release what was always hidden in him from birth.
"I woke up," says Walter White, in front of which all the boundaries that prevent him from being who he really is have disappeared.
How to understand who you are?
Perhaps the main difficulty lies in this issue, because we are constantly in the process of change. "Other roles are already taken, so just be yourself" - a quote with a meaning behind the authorship of Oscar Wilde. This means that our only way out is to accept ourselves as we are, without any comparisons. Our searches will not end there, but they will cease to be a burden. In truth, they will never end at all; at least as long as we change and move forward.
Thus, when we are told, “be yourself,” you should not feverishly recall all our character traits and follow some specific model of behavior. We just need to stop trying to turn into someone, forcibly changing ourselves, our ideals and thinking. Be yourself = accept yourself.
Of course, you should not take these words too literally. We must always remember about self-development, try to monitor our own health, get rid of bad habits and bad thoughts. All this is very difficult and requires responsibility and self-discipline. It is very simple to wave your hand and say: "And I accept myself like that, why should I go on a diet and lose weight?" But you cannot accept yourself without love for yourself, and to love means to take care and desire only the best.
What happens when a person does not accept himself?
In an attempt to seem like someone completely unusual to himself, a person can sometimes through force instill certain thoughts and ideals for himself and explain to himself that he sincerely believes in them and is always guided by them. The power of human self-deception is truly unlimited! The most striking example of such violence against himself in the world literature is Rodion Raskolnikov, the main character of the novel “Crime and Punishment” by Fedor Dostoevsky.
Living in poverty and looking at all the horrors of social stratification, as well as adhering to an extremely monotonous lifestyle, Raskolnikov begins to experience serious psychological torment that follows in the creation of his famous theory. A quote on the subject of “being yourself” from the novel, which sounds like “Am I a trembling creature or do I have the right?”, Clearly describes a case in which a person who resists to accept himself deliberately puts himself in a situation of fateful choice, leading to terrible the consequences. Having committed the murder of an old woman-interest-bearing woman, Raskolnikov suffers from the throes of conscience and finally understands that he is not at all capable of what he has already done. He experiences remorse and spiritual liberation only while serving his sentence. As you might guess, this was made possible thanks to his acceptance of himself, as well as pure love for Sonya Marmeladova. It should be noted here that you can truly love someone only by loving yourself.
Simple tips
First of all, stop pretending to be someone else. Each person is unique in his own way, each has his own advantages and talents. Having ceased to impersonate another, having removed the mask and hanging it on a nail, you can proceed to the most difficult and interesting part - the search for these very advantages and talents.
Do not stand still! A healthy person should always be in motion. You need to try something new, study, learn, absorb all the most valuable information, because how else to form your own picture of the world if the mind does not have constant training? Our personality largely depends on the worldview that we adhere to. And if in the process of searching and new trials you find your occupation, the problem of self-identification will disappear by itself. After all, when we find our unique creative beginning, it becomes easier for us to understand ourselves thanks to the opportunity for self-expression. Sometimes we don’t even understand what we are expressing, but this process allows us to learn a lot about ourselves.
So they find harmony. So they become professionals.
Do not be afraid to make mistakes and do not be too hard on yourself. Sometimes, or maybe even very often, doubts and fears will torment you. Am I doing this? Should I continue? These and many other questions certainly accompany each person on the path to success and freedom. Do not be alarmed and look for answers within them, because in fact we know and understand much more than we ourselves think.
Be yourself: quotes from some authors
One can argue on this topic endlessly, but well-known authors and philosophers speak out more eloquently about it, whose aphorisms sometimes very subtly describe the essence of the problem. Here are some quotes with meaning that describe this complex life issue.
It is very strange that people who do not know who they are are trying to become someone. OSHO
A smart person is not one who knows a lot, but one who knows himself. Unknown author
He who has not studied man in himself will never attain a deep knowledge of people. N. G. Chernyshevsky
Conclusion
The search for oneself is a permanent process, which implies the acceptance of oneself as a person and constant cognitive and creative activity that motivates and broadens our horizons. Everyone can find their place in the world, you just have to overcome fear and take the first step! From now on, “be yourself” - a quote calling for action, not introspection.