“Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.” ~Hardy D. Jackson
There is a big difference between being there for people and being inauthentic to please people. The irony is that we often do this for people we love thinking it’s what they want. It isn’t. They want our needs to be met, but they can’t know them unless we acknowledge and honor them ourselves.
We are the ones who need to decide who we are and what it means to be true to ourselves; and we’re the ones who have to find the strength to walk away when something isn’t right.
Only we can choose and leave our jobs. Only we can enter and end our relationships. Only we can decide when to go out, when to stay in, when to push, when to rest, when to try, and when to opt out. We can’t outsource our choices, but we can give ourselves permission to make them.
What would it look like if you were completely true to yourself today, without judging yourself or compromising to make other people happy?
Photo by IngridTaylar
About Lori Deschene
Lori Deschene is the founder of Tiny Buddha. She started the site after struggling with depression, bulimia, and toxic shame so she could recycle her former pain into something useful and inspire others do the same. She recently created the Breaking Barriers to Self-Care eCourse to help people honor their needs—so they can feel their best, be their best, and live their best possible life. If you’re ready to start thriving instead of merely surviving, you can learn more and get instant access here.
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Though I run this site, it is not mine. It's ours. It's not about me. It's about us. Your stories and your wisdom are just as meaningful as mine.