Sometimes we do not realize how short life is, then: is it worth to live it trying to be someone else? Or the way the others decide for us? Being yourself, being original and affirming every day your own uniqueness is crucial to never falling into the trap of superstructures and masks constructed on purpose to disguise ourselves but which in reality only make us tremendously unhappy.   However, being yourself is not easy, especially because we have been accustomed since childhood to follow the precise rules. Growing up, society takes care, through the media and marketing, on telling us how we should dress, what music we should listen to, what we should eat and all the different trends that we should follow to keep pace with the times. The result is that we get everyone to be part of one flock that we carefully follow for the fear of not being accepted. Yet loyalty to ourselves is a necessary condition if we want to get the maximum and complete realization of our own existence. Let’s think of all the satisfactions we get when we do something with the authentic will to do so, or when we feel free to express our opinion without fearing other’s judgment or furthermore when we abandon the fear of expressing our weaknesses.             The motto “know yourself” was widespread in ancient Greece, as shown by the inscription on the temple of the Oracle of Delphi. The self-knowledge is the pillar of all the virtues and is the first important step to take if we always want to live authentically. Individuals are often told to “be themselves” or to explain who they truly are. One of the keys to achieving comfort with one’s individuality is determining what type of person you really want to be. Though this all may sound like an extended cliché, but many people do in fact undergo an identity crisis of sorts at different points in their lives, or they may find themselves continually questioning their role in life and what they truly want.

In grade school, as many of us know from experience, the one goal that many desire is to be popular and well liked among the “cool” kids. Although this pressure or goal fades in high school, it is later replaced with continued questions about where one fits in. Some naturally find their place and are comfortable with their situation, while others continually seek change to improve their situation.