Want To Be A Truly Authentic Person? Try This Psychiatrist’s Surprising Method

People lock into their own narratives. Their older brother was the favorite. Their first boyfriend was the love of their life. Their parents were not supportive.

These stories are told and retold so many times that they become canon. All too often a person’s sense of worth and identity is based on these beliefs, which do not take into account nuance and detail. Letting go of the established stories we tell about ourselves allows us to decide who we want to be, instead of letting the past dictate who we are today and who we will become in the future. Breaking free from the idea of a fixed self can set us free in ways big and small.

Who we think we are can get in the way of growth and vitality. Rather than to be their “true selves,” which tends to narrow perspective and promote rigidity, I encourage patients to expand how they think about themselves by behaving in ways that may seem out of character.

“I’m a ‘yes’ person,” a patient once told me. Being nice was very important to her, and she was known by her friends to be agreeable and accommodating. Because of this reputation, though, she sometimes felt used and taken advantage of but was afraid to behave any differently. “Being nice is who I am,” she insisted, while deep down, she believed that her “niceness” was the only reason people liked her. I asked her to consider the difference between what it means to be nice and what it means to be kind. We talked about how “nice” is about being a pushover, never saying what you think, and doing what other people want you to do, while “kind” is about staying true to your values and exhibiting the grace and strength to express yourself.

A few days later, a coworker asked her to stay late to finish a PowerPoint presentation. In the past, she would have said yes, even if she had plans. This time she decided to be un-her and declined. Acting out of character enabled her to rise out of the confines of her limited self and helped her to find her voice, to feel more confident, to be a better version of herself.