I spent half my life hiding behind a mask.

Being nice. And kind. And never voicing my opinions. Ever.

It’s hard for introverts to let their guard down. To express their true, authentic selves.

You have knowledge. Ideas. Unique talents. Mind-blowing perspectives. You know people more than they know themselves. But you keep it all hidden away. Locked up inside.

But what are we afraid of?

Embarrassment. What will people think. Their judgements and opinions. Those kinds of things. No?

And it’s okay. We’re humans. Those things matter to us. And that’s nothing to be ashamed of.

But it’s also important to live your life from a place of truth inside you. Sharing your gifts with the world is what makes life worth living. And you can do it only by embracing your authentic self.

If you’ve been looking for a way to express yourself as your authentic self, here’s where you can start.

Accept yourself

When I started out writing, I had millions of doubts.

My every thought was plagued by ‘I’m not good enough’. My whole being was filled with fear. And that’s exactly what was reflected back to me. I faced rejection, criticism, and negative feedback.

No one, not even a single person appreciated my work.

I had zero outside validation. Zero support. Zero appreciation.

But then, I decided to give it to myself. I became my own true fan. I started respecting myself. I stopped relying on people’s validation, and validated myself. I stopped giving a shit.

And when I worked with that kind of vibe, people felt it. Suddenly, they started appreciating and approving my work. Giving me compliments for my work.

And all of that happened only when I accepted myself. Just the way I was.

Accept yourself. All your flaws. All your mistakes. All your imperfections. All of your personality. All your likes and dislikes. All your taste for music and movies. All your hobbies. All your personal preferences.

Stop shying away from expressing who you are, what you like, and how you prefer things to be. Respect your choices. Be proud of them.

And trust me, people will reciprocate.

Be honest to yourself 

Let’s suppose your best friend invites you to go out this evening. And he or she is your best friend, so you don’t want to hurt their feelings, so you say ‘yes’ despite feeling like shit.

This is a trauma-response.

If they are your best friend, why would they feel bad? It’s not them, it’s you. You are projecting your own feelings onto them. You are imagining “they will feel bad” in your head.

But, if, in this situation, you are honest with yourself and tell them that you’re really exhausted and need some alone time. Not only will you get what you want, but you’ll also teach your subconscious that it’s okay to say NO.

And the more honest you become with yourself, the more proof you give the subconscious that you are priority #1. Your needs come before those of other people.

Think about how you feel when you’re totally honest with yourself.

When you express what’s in your heart. It makes you so peaceful. You feel good inside. You feel a sense of inner stillness. Because you were absolutely honest with yourself. Remember that peace. That feeling.

And make sure, you’re always aligned with it.

Live by your values 

The biggest roadblock that stops you from living as your authentic self is when our actions are in conflict with our values.

This creates a big war inside our heads and becomes the prime reason for a lack of authenticity. .

When you act according to your values, you give off a vibe of authenticity. Realness. Fearlessness. It gives you strength and courage to be yourself. Because inside your heart, you know that you stand for something and that you’re doing the right thing.

You feel honest in your heart. And nothing is more powerful than that feeling.

When you carry this feeling in your heart, you don’t even need words, your presence is enough.

People will turn their heads and pay attention as soon as you enter a room. Your energy will make them believe in your words because, on a subconscious level, they can feel your confidence.

Your values are like your north star. Your inner compass. Whenever you feel lost in life, it’s usually because you’ve drifted away from your values.

And not knowing what you value in life creates a lack of direction in your life. You become like a ship lost in the ocean without a compass. You just keep drifting wherever the ocean takes you.

But on the other hand, values act like a compass in your life. Giving you direction. Giving you something to hold on to when things go south.

And when we are acting in alignment with our values, we feel happy, proud, and fulfilled.

And a strong sense of authenticity.

Conclusion

Look. You have one life. This life. That’s all we’ve got. You can’t change it, but you’ve been given the choice to live however you want.

Don’t waste it. People don’t care. What you say or how you live. It’s all in our heads.

Live from your heart. Express your true self. And let people know who you truly are from the inside.

And trust me, it can change your life.

2 Ways I can I help you:

1. Mastery Mentorship Program: If you’re an introvert and feel lost in life, join the ‘Mastery Mentorship Program’ where I guide you how you get over your limiting beliefs, discover your zone of genius, and become the best at what you do.

2. Awakening: A 30 day Self-transformation Program: Learn how to unlock your hidden potential, find your life’s purpose and reach the heights of success.