Be Yourself

“Be yourself” – it can be a question you ask yourself every day, or a quiet reminder from deep within your mind.  On the journey of self-discovery, Zen masters often advise: “Turn inward and look within.”  Because our true self is not what others label us as, but the awareness of and ability to live in harmony with our original nature.

From birth, each of us is influenced by our family, society, and later by friends, environment, and media.  In the fast-paced rhythm of modern life, it’s easy to be swept away by outside expectations and pressures, forgetting the small voice within.  Have you ever felt exhausted from trying to please everyone?  Or worn a “mask” just to fit into a mold created by others?  If your answer is “yes,” you are not alone.

I, too, have gone through such years.  After my parents and brother passed away, I had to shoulder family responsibilities while trying to redefine my life.  It was a journey of learning to stand firmly on my own, free from the fear of being judged by loved ones or friends.  I realized that being yourself is not just a beautiful slogan—it’s a challenge that requires courage.

To be true to yourself means:

·         Accepting yourself with both strengths and flaws.

·         Not comparing yourself to others and avoiding becoming someone’s copy.

·         Being sincere in your thoughts, words, and actions, even if that sometimes goes against the majority.

Jack Ma once said: “When I live for myself, I am truly free and happy.”  Perhaps he said this because, in a society where personal freedom is not always guaranteed, preserving one’s authenticity is already a rare privilege.

In psychology, there is the concept of the “true self” and the “false self.”  The true self is our original inner being, with dreams, values, and even unhealed wounds. The false self is the outer shell we create to meet others’ expectations, to be loved, or to avoid pain.  Living authentically means returning to the true self and removing unnecessary layers of disguise.

From the Buddhist perspective, “being yourself” is not only about affirming your individuality, but also about returning to your “true nature”—the pure, untainted mind that exists in all of us.  The Buddha’s life.  Through mindful taught that when we are caught in greed, anger, and delusion, we are clouded by illusions and unable to see our real self.  Through mindful observation, we realize that our true self is not bound by the past, titles, or social roles.  At that point, living authentically no longer means striving to be “different” to prove oneself—it means living in accordance with the true mind, lightly, freely, and without being bound by praise or criticism.

In today’s social media era, the pressure to present a “perfect” image can push us even further from our true selves.  The dazzling images and success stories we see easily lead us to compare and imitate.  But these are only illusions.  When we return to living by our own values, we rediscover inner peace, and our relationships become more genuine, our life more meaningful.

To live as yourself, in the spirit of the Buddha’s teaching, is both an act of courage and a path of liberation.  Courage —because you dare to remove the masks.  Liberation —because you are no longer imprisoned by others’ opinions.  And perhaps, the greatest gift of this journey is the inner freedom you find—a freedom no one can give you, and no one can take away.