Embracing the True You: Celebrating International Being You Day

International Being You Day is a celebration of individuality and self-expression, a day to embrace who you are and to encourage others to do the same. Observed on May 22nd every year, this day reminds us of the importance of being true to ourselves and accepting others for who they are. International Being You Day is a reminder that every person is unique and has something special to offer and that it is essential to celebrate and appreciate our differences.

To start with, what do we mean by the term, ideal? The famous search engine, Google defines being ideal as being capable of fitting best and satisfying one’s idealistic standards.

But, what does it mean to be the best version of yourself? Does it mean living up to your potential – or is there more to it? And do we really need to chase idealistic standards?

Today, we all live in an extremely fast-paced world. Constantly looking for the next great thing, we now have commenced valuing experiences more than things. We prefer freedom to income. And in order to be the best among the pack, we wish to focus on finding out who and what we truly are. 

Finding ourselves is nothing but self-discovery which is indeed a tough job. It certainly requires bravery and tenacity. This journey may also compel us to turn away from distracting false beliefs that may further confuse or distort our self-perception. This is rather considered a very important step while we move in order to approach our true selves. We need to understand what truly motivates us, and not just the flimsy motivators like money or power. 

On the contrary, many philosophers and great thinkers have stated that there’s nothing such as being the ideal one. Instead, accepting ourselves and striving for self-growth is what makes you, the perfect YOU.

Talking about being worried about improving ourselves, we need to keep in mind that we all differ from each other. Since each person among us has a unique set of goals, interests, and talents, one’s life path cannot be used as another’s standard for success in any way.

There is also no roadmap or ideal outcome in life, because everyone’s path is meant to be significant to them only and cannot be the benchmark for anyone.

Hence, the beliefs, interests, and passions that make us who we are in life and the world must be discovered before we can be the best version of ourselves. Similar to a first date, let us try conducting a chat with ourselves by asking what activities we enjoy by imagining our ideal selves sitting next to us. Who do we love spending time with? What kind of world effect are we hoping to have? What is our most joyful memory? We all can try this activity and be truthful and sincere in our responses to understand that authentic voice that stays within us. 

Living today, it can be tempting at times to feel insufficient, but the ultimate truth is that every one of us is precisely perfect the way we are. Always remember that our ability to be our finest self will only be liberated when we connect with this fundamental true self within us.

Author Anujaa Navaratnaa is a Gender Affirmative Counseling Psychologist, Transformation Coach, and Mentor