You cannot
afford to lose your individuality (what makes you uniquely you). You being yourself
is crucial to your happiness. There are ways to ensure daily that you never
forget about yourself. Here are ways to maintain the heart of who you are so
that others can appreciate all you have to offer them.
1.
Appreciate
the Past for What It Is: With
individuality comes a unique past, which you can’t be escaped no matter what
you do. If it wasn’t for the past, you would not be the same person that you
are today. The past shapes who you are. The present shapes who you will become.
Appreciating how far you as a person have come is your key to success.
“I'm not in this world to live up to your expectations,
and you're not in this world to live up to mine.” (Bruce Lee)
2. Check In with
Yourself: Once in a while, I “check in”
with myself (usually in my journal). I ask myself questions like:
Are you truly happy? What are you unhappy with? What can you do to change that?
You can ask yourself these questions (or similar ones) once in a while to sort
of figure out what you’re missing, and what you can do to fix it.
“Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the
talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.” (Stephen King)
3. Keep
Friends and Family Close: Growing up, your friends and your
family were the people who helped shape you to become the person you are today.
By losing touch with them, you could be at risk of losing touch with yourself
as well. Keep in regular contact with them on Facebook, email, the phone, and try to meet with them on a regular
basis.
“Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.” (Harvey Fierstein)
4.
Keep
on Dreaming: Having a dream will give you something to build on. Your
dreams can only become a reality when you act upon them. Your dreams are yours
and yours alone. Keep striving for the things which you want. Being a dreamer
will keep the fire burning strong inside you. Dreaming adds variety into your
existence.
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to
make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
5. Learn
to Say No, but In Moderation: You don’t have to say yes to everything people ask. Just try
not to say no to everything; particularly things that you haven’t tried before.
Keep an open mind by trying new things. You may discover a new hobby you enjoy.
“Be yourself. Above all, let who you are, what you are,
what you believe shine through every sentence you write, [and] every piece you finish.” (John Jakes)
6.
Never
Forget Your Passions: Your passions give you a individuality of your own. Passions
shape you as a person. The harsh reality is that when you do activities that
you love less, you love yourself less. This is not feeding a strong and healthy
soul. Never forget these are crucial of life.
“Your individuality is the most valuable thing you have.” (Martha Beck)
7. Set
Aside Personal Time: We can get so wrapped up in making sure that everyone else is happy that
we often forget to take care of ourselves. Make time to work out, pamper
yourself, buy yourself gifts, go out to eat, or go see a movie. Work on your
own self-improvement by regularly putting yourself first. You can’t give to
others if your emotional and physical self is depleted.
“God enters by a private door into every individual.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
“To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night
and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any
human being can fight; and never stop fighting.” (E.E. Cummings) [i]
[i] Adapted from: “Simple Ways to Maintain Your
Individuality: Relationships and Progress” by Dustin Meyer,
“Keeping Your Individuality in a Relationship” (thecoupleconnection.net), and
“How to Keep Your Individuality While in a Relationship” by Tami Walker
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