I think we’re all guilty of this at one point or another—trying to mask what’s really inside of us just so we can “fit in.”

Here’s why you should always be the real you:

1. There is no default “normal.”

We’re all born the same way; we all die the same way. Therefore, no one is better than anyone else, and there’s no reason for you to want to be anyone else over yourself. Spend more time thinking highly of yourself.

2. Your differences are the only aspects of you that set you apart from others.

On the inside, we’re all almost identical. So, the only real way to separate ourselves from others is to uncover our personalities. You want to make a mark on this world, don’t you? You want to be remembered, don’t you? The only way that can happen is if you embrace what makes you unique. Spend more time discovering the qualities that make you different.

3. You only have one life, and it’s short.

The more time you spend trying to live behind a façade, the less time you can spend living as yourself. It’s important to spend as much of your life as you can as the real you, or you’ll regret not doing so one day. It’s cliché, but you really do only live once, and there’s no point in wasting any second. Spend more time sharing the real you with the world.

4. Anyone who can’t accept you for who you are isn’t worth your time anyway.

If you think that the people you’re hanging out with wouldn’t accept your true colors, they really shouldn’t be your friends. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing; it’s actually completely ok. There are so many people out there that would love to accept the real you. In fact, of the billions of people on this earth, so many are just like you. Spend more time finding those people.

5. The real you is pretty awesome.

Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise; you are absolutely amazing just the way that you are. In fact, there’s nothing more incredible than embracing the real you, so get on out there and do it!