Be You, Always!
- ryanseematter
- Feb 2, 2025
- 4 min read
“Be yourself and set the trend. Don't follow.”
-YG
It’s been awhile since I’ve sat down to write a blog post and I’m excited to jump back in! Today, I wanted to reflect on something that’s been on my mind throughout all of 2024 and even into 2025 as we kick off another year of growth. The simple concept of being yourself is seen and heard on a daily basis. People in life recite that phrase, “Just be yourself”, so many times that it can sound like it’s on repeat. I know that everyone we interact with is truly wanting to help us and it eventually comes across as inauthentic.
Being yourself begins with you always and requires you to embrace your true strengths, appreciate who you are, and also where you’ve come from in life. As you prepare to read the rest of this blog post, take a moment to pause (remember to breathe!), reflect on what you do differently than others (in a positive way), and remember why you’re currently doing the work you do (both personally and professionally). I can assure you that you’ve been put on this earth to be the best version of yourself, help and support others, along with inspiring everyone you interact with to greatness!
If you want to walk down the path of remaining true to yourself, the following tips may help!
Be Different - When you think about a challenge to be different, I totally empathize with the fact that this can be a daily battle. Our minds have been programmed to be so automatic in life, in our daily routines, and to take the easy road (i.e. the path of least resistance). Throw that in with the fact that peer pressure is a real thing and we can be easily influenced by others. Being different does begin with you and who you associate the most in life can also influence how you see yourself. My definition of being different involves digging deep to identify what makes you unique and one of a kind in a positive way. We were all made for greatness and leaning on our true strengths ensures that we believe we can achieve anything in life and also helps to deflect peer pressure or the threat of being automatic in life. Reconnecting with your strengths brings out your natural emotions and life fulfillment. It also helps others know that they can be different too when they see you living a life without boundaries through knowing yourself.
Be Strong - The first thing that comes to mind for me always when I hear the word strong is the amount of muscle strength someone has, how much they can lift, and how regimented they are with their daily workout routine. Another way to view strength and being strong consists of mindset. It is beneficial to practice self care through exercise and I have also seen the benefits within myself and others of cultivating and embracing a positive mindset. Life throws so many curveballs our way always, and our progress can be evaluated by the amount of times we get back up after being knocked down. The possibilities of success can often be tied to embracing what you do behind the scenes to prepare for being strong in the moment. Preparing yourself for a positive mindset begins with how you talk to yourself each day (positive self-talk), what you listen to, what you watch, and how much self-care you incorporate into your day. I will say that the mindset challenges I face are a daily reset and I have to have reminders of what I can do each day to keep me on that positive path. Your strongest moments will be measured by how you respond in every situation. I’ve also often heard that when life gets tough, you should practice responding over reacting. There are weak moments in life where I’ve fallen pray to reacting and know now that when I enter those situations, I should prepare to respond. Our mind goes where our emotions flow, so make sure you’re staying strong and building your positive mindset every day!
Be Inclusive - Life comes and goes so fast and if you blink, you can miss a lot of it. I’ve always been a proponent of seeing others through their soul rather than how they present themselves on the surface. I can tell you that sometimes in life due to peer pressure (mentioned above), we lose sight of what makes others different in a positive way and we assume that the way they present themselves is how they will always be. We all have an opportunity to assume a positive intent when we meet others. In addition, when you’re vulnerable and open about your own life and related challenges, it enables others to be open about their moments of joy and challenges too. Being yourself means that you may have to stray from the crowd to defend others who may get picked on or appear to be misunderstood. I’m a big proponent of trusting your gut and when you lean into your natural strengths and abilities, I promise you’ll feel called to help others without even thinking. As you help and support others, you’ll continue to grow within your true self and be a valued member of society through kindness!
I hope as you read this week’s blog post, you were able to reflect on what makes you uniquely who you are, what your true strengths are, and how you can serve others through being you and only you. As you continue to learn and grow, remember to celebrate your growth and also inspire others to come along in your journey to be themselves always. I’m cheering you all on, so feel free to comment below with your highlights, challenges, and moments of inspiration.
Keep growing and know that I truly believe in you!
Ryan
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