Not feeling yourself lately? It happens.
Constantly upholding a standard of yourself you think the world requires can make you lose sight of who you really are.
There’s only one way to end this stressful lifestyle and find yourself again: Stop now! Own who you are! Make this year the year of YOU.
What does it mean to own who you are?
“Owning” who you are means taking full responsibility for your life and accepting what makes you, you. It’s also about sharing with the world who you truly are.
Be secure and confident. Accept what you need for you.
Why is it important to define who you are?
Defining who you are is a critical first step to owning who you are. Honor the truth about yourself to yourself.
Start with removing labels attached to you in your life — your career title, family title, and so on. This also includes labels others have given you. Those words don’t define you.
Your values and self-worth create the identity with which you may have been struggling to reconnect. Understand that you are unique.
Own who you are with these five steps:
1. Change your attitude by be more positive.
Positivity is a game-changer for everyone. If you can adopt a more positive view on the various situations life throws at you, you’ll come out on top.
Try these quick hits of positivity:
- Instead of yelling at traffic, think, “I hope everyone makes it home safely tonight.”
- Don’t let the poor choices or unkind actions of others get you down. It’s not personal. It’s not about you.
- Walk a mile in someone’s shoes. Instead of negatively reacting, respect the fact that each person has their own challenges.
2. Become intentional with your actions and time.
The concept here is to not steal time away from yourself or others. Don’t give too much of yourself so that there is nothing left to give.
Here are some tips to be more intentional with your actions and time:
- Be OK with saying no.
- Stop multitasking.
- Make a daily schedule for yourself.
- Embrace that what works for you may not work for others.
- Prioritize items/actions that must be accomplished to stay true to who you are.
3. Accept responsibility and stop blaming.
Regardless of fault, we must all find what we own in a situation and take corrective action.
Here are some questions to ask yourself to accept responsibility and stop blaming:
- What part did I play in this situation?
- How can I own my actions?
- What do I need to do to turn the situation around?
- How can I accomplish these goals?
- Who or what do I need to disassociate with that may be hindering my achievements?
4. Set boundaries with people in your life.
Setting boundaries can be difficult for some of us. You may experience guilt or worry over offending someone if you say “no.”
But this is the new You. And the new You has boundaries others must respect.
Boundaries will create the space you need to be you. The more often you set them, the more confidence you’ll have to do so again.
Tips to set boundaries with people in your life:
- Make it clear to others about what you’ll tolerate — and what you won’t.
- Be confident with your decision.
- Take time for yourself.
- When it comes to your job, create boundaries to keep a healthy work-life balance.
5. Stop caring about what people think.
Now is the time to stop! Enough with worrying about others’ opinions. Start moving in a direction where you think highly of yourself.
How to stop caring what others think:
- Know that everyone will have some opinion about you.
- Don’t assume you know what someone thinks of you. You’re probably wrong.
- Create a mindset that embraces your own feelings.
- Take control of your life. Wondering about another’s opinion steals your energy, time, and space.
Finding yourself again is important to living a mindful, healthy life.
When you own who you are, it’s only then you can help others.
And you can’t help others if you aren’t the whole, thriving person you deserve to be.
After all, this is your life.
Make it what you want.
