A few of my friends recently asked me to write about being yourself. When I first heard their suggestion, I was super excited about it and so ready to sit down and type up a quick article. However, as I sat down to write, I found that what I thought to be a simple topic is really not that simple after all. I started to question what it really means to be yourself and what that looks like in day-to-day life. At first, I said it’s acting 100 percent original and not like anyone else. Then I started to look at my life and I realized that if that is the case, then I don’t act like myself at all. You see, I am heavily influenced by those around me in the way I speak.

Example 1 – Last year, my roommates always used the phrase “it’s fine” whenever it was even slightly applicable. Within a couple weeks of them saying the phrase, I too found myself using it an abundant amount.

Example 2 – Those same roommates describe just about anything as “amazing” and I have found myself using that same description on multiple occasions.

Does this mean that I am not truly myself? Of course not. We are all influenced by those around us and that is just part of living and being human. Not only are we influenced in the way we speak but also in our actions. Whether it’s to try a new sport or use a weird snap, most of the decisions we make are not solely based on our ideas but also on the ideas around us. What is important here is that the things we choose to do we are not doing solely for the approval of others.

When I think of what it means to be yourself, I think it means to live authentically and true to who you are and what you believe in. This also goes along with living our lives the way God created us to live.

Psalm 139:13-17 says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unconfirmed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!”

And in Ephesians 2:10 we read, “For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

In Psalm 139, we see that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. In Ephesians 2:10, we see that God created us for a purpose. Each and every one of us has a specific purpose to fulfill. How could we possibly fulfill that purpose if we are not living true to who we are, true to who we were created to be? If we are so preoccupied with trying to please others or live in a way that others will find appealing, how can we truly be focused on God’s plan for our lives and His purpose for us? Furthermore, in the first chapter of Galatians, we read that we should live not for the approval of man, but for the approval of God.

“Am I saying this now to win the approval of people or God? Am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be Christ’s servant.” Galatians 1:10

I'll leave you with a quote from the greatest kids show of all time. The one. The only. VeggieTales, “God made you special and he loves you very much.”