Maintaining your Identity.

Our identity isn't just our name, or how our face looks and all of that, it goes a little bit in-depth, it is who we are and what we stand for; Our personality, beliefs, principles, goals, values, passions, etc.

For one to find his/her identity, it should not be based on what you have been told by others but based on what you have discovered by yourself. So finding one's identity requires self-discovery (which well, never ends, it is a life-long process).

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Maintaining one's identity can be quite hard and tricky, but it is one of the best things you can do to yourself. So, I though to share a few tips that help you stay on your game.

1. Don't be a People-Pleaser

It feels great when you make people smile, and happy but pleasing people really isn't an act of kindness most times. You don't have to agree with their view if you don't just because you wanna make them feel good, you don't have to act like them or say "yes" all the time.  The thing is most times we become people-pleasers out of fear of being mistreated. Stand up for what you believe in, freely express your opinion, and say "no" when you need to.

2. Build Healthy Relationships

Keeping up with toxic relationships of whatever type might be detrimental to your efforts of maintaining your identity. A family relationship could be toxic too. It is essential to build relationships that will allow you to freely express yourself and be you with no compromises.

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3. Love Yourself

If you don't learn to love yourself, you might find yourself trying to hide under the shadows of someone else's identity, or trying to pretend just to get approval, so it is key that you learn to love yourself even when no one around does, accept you for who you are, only then can others learn to accept you.

Your identity is what makes you unique. Yes, it will be different from that of others (well, our faces are not all the same), find it and make an effort not to lose it, and if you do, try finding it again, and you will.