Previously Seen on Huffington Post
I remember when I first heard the news of Prince’s passing. Sadness mixed with shock, though, with the slew of rockstars that have left way too soon, in some ways, it wasn’t as shocking as it would have been only a few short years ago.
As I began to reflect on his life, I realize, amidst the high heels, high pitch and high life, there was one reason why everyone loved him, a reason that made him so successful, a reason we might not expect:
He was true to himself.
You see, Prince was really becoming well known in the ‘80’s, and this was a time when being you wasn’t so common. But Prince did it right. He avoided all boxes, gay or straight, black or white, even male or female, and whether we knew it or not, it was the thing that we loved most about him.
How liberating to just do things your way, to push the line, at times, to even cross the line, and how, in our own way, we longed to be more like the crazy-talented man in sequence.
While, we may not have been ready for it back then, more and more of us are ready for it now, and if this applies to you, here are three ways you can really be true to you:
1. Own Your Desires.
Do you have a dream or desire you keep hidden away? Maybe it’s something that if you didn’t worry about judgment, logic or repercussions, you’d pursue without question? I’m here to tell you, it’s time.
In this world, it’s super easy for us to just pretend everything’s ok, and where our life is right now, is good enough. What made Prince’s life so special was his quest to never settle, even if it meant discomfort for others, and bigger yet, discomfort inside.
Prince defied the odds, maintaining his integrity and what he really felt was right, to reap bring rewards, both personally and professionally. What’s one desire you have, that if you were really being honest with yourself, you’d go for?
2. Honor Yourself.
Honoring yourself is such a big key to being true to you. How many times do we do something that someone else’s wants at the cost of our own truth? While sometimes this is necessary, it’s important to remember we always have a choice. There are so many times I hear people say, “I had no choice,” and while it might feel like this because you could lose your job or you needed to help your family, reminding yourself that you chose to have a family or take the job that you’re in can move you back to a place of empowerment versus that life is just happening to you.
Remember, Prince chose to go against the grain time and time again, and this choice paid big dividends.
As part of this, compromise can definitely help, too, when you’re looking to begin honoring yourself in a new way. Maybe one time you say no to something you usually say yes to and the next time you agree to it. It’s the little everyday steps that move us towards big goals.
3. Be You.
This one seems obvious, but when you really think about it, how many times are you doing something to please another or following something you learned from your parents without giving a second thought to whether it’s really true for you?
Something simple that you can do to begin to change this is by asking: “Is this mine or something I learned from someone?” This alone helps you know if you’re doing something just because you were taught it. Once you’ve recognized this, I like to ask:
“Is this really true for me?” Maybe you’ve just been saying yes to something because as a little kid you were trained that if you didn’t, it would make you a bad person.
What’s one way you’re going to be more true to you? I’d love to know! Respond in the comments below.