Be Yourself by Morcheeba

In my effort to get a bit fitter I’ve been completing the couch to 5k running app. One of the biggest challenges has been the mental side, if I don’t keep my mind busy whilst running the main thought I have is I can’t do this. So, in an effort to get fitter, and keep my mind active, I’ve been listening to a series of lectures on psychology called Understanding the Mysteries of Human Behaviour.

If the runs have been working out my body, the lectures have certainly also been working out my mind. It’s been particularly interesting considering the interaction between our genetics/biology, our socialisation, and our individuality. And as such Morcheeba’s Be Yourself seemed like the perfect fit for this week’s blog. Throughout the song is the refrain:

Just be yourself.

It might seem like an obvious settling point for each of us. But actually, I think it is one of the unseen challenges we all face. At times it is as if our circumstances, society, or even our own bodies conspire against us and we feel more like someone we don’t want to be rather than the person we feel we really are. So, I though I would give my top five tips on becoming more authentically you:

1. Being yourself might better be considered becoming yourself. Our lives are journeys where we grow and are shaped, wither consciously or without realising. So, be proactive in considering who you want to be.
2. We are not as individual as we think we are. We all like to think that we make all our own decisions independently, but the truth is we are part of a culture and that culture influences how we think. So, when deciding, step back, and think how much it is you doing so, and how much it is just a cultural response.
3. Being part of the group is normal. As humans we are designed to be sociable. So, rather than fear cultural influence, seek out the cultural influences you want to affect you.
4. Being you might not suit everybody. Inevitably, if we do try to be a more authentic version of ourselves, some people won’t like it. So, be prepared that authenticity brings both satisfaction, but also challenge.
5. We can help who we are. We all experience times when we feel we have acted in a way which we then excuse by saying we can’t help it. It’s normal to feel this, but we don’t have to stay stuck to the feeling. So, when struggling, embrace your emotions, but once you’ve accepted them, be prepared to move forward.

So, over the coming week, why not try becoming more you.

Need some help becoming more you? Why not consider booking an appointment with the author, Dr Dave Wood?

Be Yourself is taken from the album Fragments of Freedom by Morcheeba.