Find yourself. You can't be yourself if you don't know, understand, and accept yourself first.
Stop caring about how people perceive you. The fact is, it really doesn't matter. It's impossible to be yourself when you're caught up in wondering "Do they think I'm funny? Does she think I'm fat? Do they think I'm stupid?" To be yourself, you've got to let go of these concerns and just let your behavior flow, with only your consideration of others as a filter—not their consideration of you.
Be honest and open. What have you got to hide? You're an imperfect, growing, learning human being. If you feel ashamed or insecure about any aspect of yourself—and you feel you have to hide those parts of you, whether physically or emotionally—then you have to come to terms with that and learn to convert your so-called flaws into individualistic quirks.
Relax. Stop worrying about the worst that could happen, especially in social situations. So what if you fall flat on your face? Or get spinach stuck in your teeth? Learn to laugh at yourself both when it happens and afterwards. Turn it into a funny story that you can share with others. It lets them know that you're not perfect and makes you feel more at ease, too.
EDIT IN] link http://www.wikihow.com/Be-YourselfOne of my favourite stories to tell is when I was in Rehab and catheterized. My friend, Ruth, and her freind, John, picked me up at the Rehab for a night out.
We went to the Ports of Call in Toronto, and I kept reaching down (easy enough, like a quick scratch to the leg) to see when my leg-bag was filling/full. When it was, Ruth came with me to the ladies' room.
OOOOPS! not accessible in 1969. What to do in a fancy place with a washroom attendant? I lifted my leg over one of the sinks (Ruth was embarrassed) loosened the valve and peed my bag into the sink. I then 'closed the valve' lifted my leg back down and scuribbed the sink, 3 times, as people looked on with........ I never looked.. could have been distaste, could have been new knowledge, could have been laughter.
Back we went to the table and as I kept imitating my itch, there was nothing to deal with.
We left there in John's car and went to a Country Bar for a couple of beer, no itch! We left there and drove a little further down the main drag to a bar, just across from the restaurant we wanted. We had a couple more beer, no itch to deal with---hmmmm what was wrong? Then the restaurant was closeds o we just decided to finish the evening by driving me back ro Rehab. It was very close to 11:00 p.m. and the bright light was still on and as I opened the passenger door. John's poore car was drenched, as was my foot, my shoe and my lower slacks leg. I hadn't reached far enough. I peed all over Ports of Call, John's car, the Country bar and up and across the main drag of Toronto.
The night cleaner was mad and followed me in and up the elevator with me with a wet mop until I had straightened things aropund.
I rinsed everything but I was not allowed to use the Rehab Dryer, so had no left shoe for a number of days.
I am glad that John was such a nice guy and took into consideration this was my FIRST night out. Ruth was great too, and after that we had plenty of laughs-----yet it was over a serious situation.
Was I going to be catherterized for the rest of my life? The nurses told me I would (and that supposedly shortens one life by 30 years.) I deciuded to prove differently and with Ruth and John's assistance a few moths later, I did prove their patient chart to be wrong.
So here I am 39 years later and full of vim, vigour and vitality!
So what is the funniest, 'laughing at yourself' story YOU haver?????
Izzy
