Be True To Yourself

Be True To Yourself.

“This above all: To thine own self be true…”

-William Shakespeare

We are the future, what is to become. We are everyone’s hope, the forthcoming carriers of the world. We are expected to be mentally competent, physically fit and emotionally strong. We must be able to cope with the world, show our true potential and push the limit to and then beyond the sky. But how are we supposed to triumph over these expectations, if we are unaware of our own aptitude?

We face a very different world, today. Way different than what it was in Shakespearean times. Yet his words pertain to us just as aptly. In a world so demanding, so harsh, so vigorous, we need something to ground us, to make sense of our being. We need to confide, have faith and know our boundaries and limits. And for that… Well, we must be true to our owneth self.

What is the self?

It is perceived to be our inner mirror. Something that reflects our every deed. It is our conscience, pricking us when we go wrong. It is our strength, powerful enough to will us to keep going. But would we be doing justice to this self, by never accepting it, by being untrue to it? Of course not. There is a reason why the self is so influential. It was created so that we always had something to be loyal to, and to be answerable to, so that we are able to identify the fine line between doing and overdoing.

People prefer those who believe in themselves. They look up to them as leaders, someone to carry them forward in the right direction. Because, ‘To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to change you is the greatest accomplishment’ (Ralph Waldo Emerson). People who are true to themselves learn to face the wind despite its force. They are like the mighty oaks, refusing to bend. It is vital that we take inspiration and learn to be unafraid of breaking away from the crowd, never compromising who we are and what we are- because today, we are surrounded and threatened by waves of mainstream. We are endangered of losing our identity in the midst of hundreds of others, because we succumb to following others around.

Being ‘true’ to oneself does not simply mean being aware our actions. It symbolizes complete acceptance of oneself. Being ‘true’ implies the power to maintain one’s individuality, despite the challenges faced. Being ‘true’ pertains to being unashamed of who we are, where we come from. It is never submitting to external stress, simply because they are the majority, more so in this age. It is putting forth our ideas, speaking our mind sans the fear of being wrong. It is having faith in our wings, believing that they’ll help us fly even if the branch we rest on, breaks. It is forgiving our self and learning ceaselessly. It is having faith. It is being honest and transparent to our actions, words and thoughts.

It gives one the opportunity to let oneself do certain things to his satisfaction, while allowing him to dream larger, and offers a truer image of one, making it easier to erase the faults and perfect the strengths. Being true rids one of the worries of self-doubt and negative conscience. It allows one to live a fuller, more wholesome life, because one is unrestricted to thinking about the self. Truth is the greatest virtue. And being true is the greatest gift we can give to ourselves and everybody around us. Being true makes us immune to what others say to bring us down. And spiritually, it assures us, that we will leave the world free of any doubt and regret about not having been our true self. It is aptly said by Mother Teresa- “…In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them, anyway…”

Summing up, Shakespeare gives a quote that is valid for every generation, however backward or however advanced. For, it is from original beings that innovations spring. Many of us may or may not realize the importance of these words today. And most of us may stumble on our way to self-truth. But, I believe that there will come a day, wherein each of us will realize the significance of this quote, and hopefully then, we shall truly carry the world forward responsibly, and do justice to the self.