“Can You Be Your Authentic Self with Everyone?”

“Studies Show This is Directly Related to Your Degree of True Happiness”

How much of the time can you be your true self with everyone around you… the real you? This is a powerful question.

Researchers have found that the more we can be our true selves the happier we are… and I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist to figure that out. But most people are not being true to themselves.

It is said in all spiritual texts: “To Thy Own Self Be True” and that is very true indeed. If we put on a mask to be what other people want us to be all the time… we will never be happy deep down inside.

1 - How much of the time can you be your true authentic self with the people at work— 20% of the time, 30% of the time, 40% of the time, 50% of the time or more? This is very important for your true ability to be happy. If you are not yourself it’s impossible to be light-hearted and loving and kind when you are feeling oppressed in some way. Write down a number.

2 - How much of the time can you be your authentic self with your relatives? 40% of the time, 50% of the time, 60% of the time? How can a person be joyous and happy if they have to wear a mask all the time… and be someone that they are not… it’s impossible. Think about it and write down a number.

3 - How much of the time can you be your authentic self with your friends? Perhaps 50% of the time, 70% of the time, 80% of the time. These are the people you choose to hang out with and talk with. If you can’t be yourself with them then what’s going on? Think about it and write down a number.

4 - How much of the time can you be your authentic self with your spouse? 70% of the time, 80% of the time, 90% of the time? This is your life long love, the one person you should be able to express who you are deep down inside. If not there is something terribly wrong here. Think about it and write down a number.

5 - How much of the time can you be your authentic self with yourself? 50% of the time, 60% of the time, 70% of the time? Many times we wear a mask when we are interacting with our own being. We live our exterior outer life that is expressive of how we want the world to see us… not the real person deep down inside. And sooner or later we become that mask even with ourselves. This ends up creating lots of inner conflicts, displaced anger, and even mental illness. Think about it and write down a number.

6 - And finally, how much of the time are you being that true authentic self with God, Great Spirit, the Universe? Are you that mask you wear most of the time… even when talking to God? Lots of people are that mask all the time, they wear that mask even when they pray, and go to church, or temple, or other places of worship. Think about it and write down a number.

Add up your score… and see how much of the time you are that happy, expressive, and a carefree person that you are deep down inside.

There is no way to say this type of score means you are really unhappy or happy.

You know deep down inside just by doing this process if you are happy or not.

Think about it.

So what are you going to do about it?

That’s the question.

Many Blessings to Everyone

Dr. Paul Haider