Being Genuine And Happiness

Written By Colēgia

Authenticity is something that many of us may struggle with as students. There are many times where we may feel that we have to people please and do things that don't align with our values. With that in mind, we want to help change this mindset by showing how being genuine can help your happiness.

Better Appreciation of Your Relationships

One common mistake that many of us make when it comes to being genuine is that we may have a tendency to people please. This is harmful in many ways both for others and ourselves. People-pleasing often involves saying or doing things for people with the intent to make them happy, even if it is not something you'd normally do. The key factor in this is intent as people-pleasing can usually have a hidden motive behind it. Ideally, we don't want to do this as it can devalue others and only view them as a means to further our personal development which is wrong. Rather than viewing it like this, helping others because it's something we genuinely want to do without any form of repayment is much better. In doing this we allow ourselves to be mindful of the value in our relationships along with being able to help people from a place of sincerity.

“helping others because it's something we genuinely want to do without any form of repayment is much better.”

Cognitive Consonance

Finding the happy medium between your thoughts and your actions is known as cognitive consonance which is an important concept with being genuine. Too often do we say one thing but think another which can lead to us feeling a sense of unease. To help with this we need to practice both mindfulness and awareness of how we feel. Mindfulness allows us to rethink our actions in a manner that is constructive to our well-being. It can give us space to be ourselves without judgment and see what does and doesn't work. Self-awareness can help us be more genuine by seeing what our best qualities are and work with them to stay true to ourselves. Being harmonious with our feelings is something that many of us strive for and taking steps to achieve it can make a difference.

“we need to practice both mindfulness and awareness of how we feel.”

Following Your Own Path

Ultimately we want to find our own path and being genuine is one of the best ways to do so. Understanding what we care about in terms of our future major or career is one method. Sometimes we may feel that there are expectations being put upon us in terms of what we need to do later in life. It's good to remember that while others may want the best for you it is your path at the end of the day. Asking for help and being grateful for advice is a good thing as long as it allows you to still be yourself. Tailoring your education by making choices that align with your thoughts is a good thing. Being genuine can help you do the things you love while also doing them in the way that empowers you.

Colēgia

Colēgia

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