Embracing your true self is the first step to finding genuine happiness.

We've all heard this. We all know this. Have any of us ACTUALLY followed through with it though? Or have we only glanced at the suggestion and passed right on through without a second thought? If you timidly chose the second option, I understand. I've seen many self-motivating quotes on Pinterest and thought about how nice such an idea was before I went back to comparing myself to girls (which I deemed better than me) on Instagram. So, trust me, I've been there.

However, I hate to break it to you, but this time, we've got to truly follow through with such advice.

You might've forgotten this throughout your many years on Earth, but did you know there is only one of you? Not one single person is even close to being identical to you. Not even if you're an identical twin. You get to be a one-of-a-kind, special edition type of person. You should feel truly honored to be yourself. You got to be someone that no one else EVER was able to be. Even when it's the year 3000, there will still not be a single person who has been composed of the exact same DNA as you. Isn't that amazing?

Get to know this unique person. Learn to love them. Learn to love their traits, flaws, interests, and dislikes. Embrace their differences and let them shine. Stand out with your true colors and be a peacock instead of a chameleon.

It's totally normal for everyone to feel uncomfortable in their own skin because we're kinda all in the same boat. I mean, we're all just different people living amongst one another trying to decide where we fit in. However, fitting in with a crowd of people is different than conforming to accommodate a crowd of people.

You are never going to be the skinny, blonde, tan-skinned girl with 20,000 Instagram followers. So quit expecting that from yourself.

You are perfect in your own way. You can attempt to conform to someone else's standards, but you will always be your own person deep down. To hide that one-of-a-kind individual with the intent to act like another is truly a shame. You're denying the world a chance to see a personality they've never been exposed to.

So wear zebra pants if you want to. Do yourself a favor and proudly dislike Pink Drinks, even if all your friends think it's exceptional. Dye your hair light blue if you want to. Wear something other than Chacos and Birkenstocks if you want to or wear Chacos and Birkenstocks every day if you feel like it. Run wild with the courage to be yourself. You can run from YOU all you want, but you're never going to be happy until you drop your expectations and truly love the real you.

This time, leave this article with the intent to follow through with that commonly-told advice. Get to know the person you've been burying underneath your skin and love that person with all you have. Discover how much better life is when you've stopped trying to be someone you're not and you've begun to embrace the person you are.