Are You For Real?

Take a look around America and you’ll find that we’re an image-obsessed society. It seems that too many people will stop at nothing in order to maintain a pristine self-image. But what happens to the rest of us, who have a strong desire for authentic, honest living?

You can be your true self and still live a successful life. Here’s how to do it:

1. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Being a person of your word should come naturally, but too often, we fudge the truth in order to save ourselves from embarrassment or to gain some kind of advantage. The problem with this is that, while you might gain some short-term points, you’re doing a disservice to yourself over the long haul. One day you may just look in the mirror and wonder, where did I go?

2. Don’t be a slave to your stuff. We learn in high school that wearing the right brand of shoes or clothes will get you into the popular social circles. But clothes, cars and gadgets don’t make you who you are - they’re just filler. Great people are almost always remembered for their integrity and service. Your stuff might impress some people, but ask yourself if they’re really worth impressing if that’s all they care about.

3. Serve. Turn your focus from yourself and put it towards others. Every community has a tremendous need for people willing to roll up their sleeves and pitch in. It can be volunteering at a soup kitchen or collecting clothes for the homeless. Even something as simple as cutting an elderly neighbor’s grass can make a difference. Remember, life isn’t about you - it’s about us.

4. Stop chasing the money. There’s nothing wrong with making money - even a lot of it, but don’t make the pursuit of wealth your religion. People who spend their whole lives striving for the next buck miss out on so many of life’s wonderful joys - like family, being there for your kids and other important relationships. Joy comes from people, not cash. There’s a bible verse that says something like, “What does it profit a man if he gains the world, but loses his soul in the process?” I think it sums it up perfectly whether you’re religious or not.

5. Don’t fret about your image. If you find yourself looking in the mirror thinking about having something lopped off or injected into your body, then you’re focusing too much on your outward appearance. Consider Sarah Burge, the real-life Barbie. She’s spent close to two hundred grand on cosmetic surgery in order to look like a plastic doll. Many people make the mistake of correcting surface flaws, when really what their spirit is craving is some work on the inside.

The most important legacy you can leave behind is the legacy of being a genuine person, a person of honor, of commitment and of love. And as long as you have breath in your body, it’s never too late to start being that person.

Copyright 2008 David Bohl, SlowDownFast.com. All rights reserved.

Thanks to Widow’s Quest for including this post in the Carnival of Positive Thinking, to The Next 45 Years for featuring this post in the Personal Development Carnival, to Never the Same River Twice for featuring my article, to Energies of Creation for inclusion in the Carnival of Creative Growth, and to Pink Blocks for including this post in the Blog Carnival of Personal Power. 

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