坚持做自己很难？生活是你的选择！

 When it comes to being yourself, there can be a lot of pressure from the outside world as it tries to influence who you are. Living in a society that is constantly developing, it’s important for you to always be yourself from the inside out.

在你想要坚持做自己的时候，外部世界中可能会有很多压力，试图对你造成影响。生活在这样一个持续发展的社会中，由内而外发自内心的真正做自己，这一点很重要。

When you deeply know yourself and the boundaries that you have set, you are more likely to experience a fulfilling¹ and rewarding life. Without knowing yourself and establishing those boundaries, you can easily be pushed around and end up on a dirt path.

当你深刻理解了自己和你设定的那些界限，你就更有可能经历有意义很值得的生活。如果不了解自己，不去设定这些界限，你就很容易任人摆布，最后的结局可能是在一条泥泞的小路上徘徊。

You have the option of taking the path that is broad or taking the path that is narrow. You can either conform² to what life wants you to be, or have the courage to remain true to yourself throughout the years.

选择宽阔的大路还是狭窄的小道，这是你的选择。是遵循生活想要你变成的样子，还是鼓起勇气坚持多年真我，这也是你自己的选择。

It’s definitely³ a challenge to have a strong sense of self when we are constantly getting distracted⁴ and being influenced by the media and society’s way of life. But if you want to reach your fullest potential in life, it all starts with being yourself.

想要拥有强烈的自我意识绝对是个挑战，因为我们总会被媒体和社会生活方式影响和分心。但如果你想要让自己的生活发挥最大的潜能，首先要做的就是自己。

Why should you always be yourself? Because you will:

为什么你要一直做自己？因为你会：

 

1. Live in alignment⁵ with your values and beliefs.

过符合你的价值观和信念的生活

Being yourself is all about knowing what you believe in and the values that you live by. When you are not yourself, you will take on the values and beliefs of others. 

做自己，是关于你相信什么，是关于你生活中所遵循的价值。但你不再是你自己，你就只会接受别人的价值观和信念。

 

2. Establish your own identity⁶. 

建立你的身份

No matter what happens in your life, you will always know who you are. There will be times where you may feel lost or distracted, but if you have your own identity you’ll be able to get back on the right path.

不管生活中发生什么，你总是会知道自己是谁。也许会有觉得迷失和分心的时候，但如果你有自己的身份认知，你就能回到正确的道路上。

 

3. Build courage.

鼓起勇气

It takes a great amount of courage when you decide to take the path that goes against the crowd. The reason why the majority of people take the broad path is because it’s easy. It’s easy to just follow the crowd.

当你决定与大众背道而驰，走向你选择的道路是，你需要很大的勇气，这也算为什么大部分人会选择宽阔大道的原因，因为很容易，只要从众即可。

 

4. Establish boundaries.

设定边界

When you are always yourself, you know what your limits are and the boundaries that you have set for yourself. If you are always yourself, you are more likely to be aware when people start taking advantage of you.

当你一直做自己 ，你就会自己到自己的极限和你为自己设定的边界了。如果你一直做自己，当有人开始利用你时你很有可能会很警觉发现。

 

5. Find focus and direction.

找到重心和方向

When you stay true to who you are, you are more likely to know the goals you want to accomplish and how to go about accomplishing them. You are able to stay focused and know which direction to take in order for you to accomplish your goals.

当你保持真我，你更有可能知道自己想要完成的目标和如何完成他们。你会保持专注，也知道为了实现目标，你需要朝着什么方向努力。

No matter what you experience in life, the only person that will always remain constant is you.

不管你在生活中经历了什么，一直保持不变的那个人就是你自己。

1 fulfilling   

adj.使人满足的，令人愉快的v.履行（诺言等）( fulfill的现在分词 )；执行（命令等）；达到（目的）；使结束；满足( fulfil的现在分词 )；执行；尽到；应验

参考例句：

• If you expect to fail, you will fail. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy . 你如果预期失败，就会失败。这是一种自我应验的预测。
• Nursing is hard work, but it can be very fulfilling. 护士工作很艰苦；但可以使人感到满足。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 conform   

vi.（to）遵守，适应，相似，一致，符合

参考例句：

• The building does not conform to safety regulations.这座建筑物不符合安全条例。
• Her ideas do not conform with mine.她的观点与我的不一致。

3 definitely   

adv.一定地，肯定地；明确地，确切地

参考例句：

• The team will definitely lose if he doesn't play.如果他不参加比赛，这个队肯定会输。
• I shall definitely be home before six o'clock.6点以前，我一定回家。

4 distracted   

a.注意力分散的，思想不集中的

参考例句：

• When working, one should concentrate and not allow oneself to be distracted. 工作时要集中精力，不要分心。
• Noise outside distracted her mind from her studies. 门外的噪音使她心神不宁，无法集中注意力学习。

5 alignment   

n.队列；结盟，联合

参考例句：

• The church should have no political alignment.教会不应与政治结盟。
• Britain formed a close alignment with Egypt in the last century.英国在上个世纪与埃及结成了紧密的联盟。

6 identity   

n.身份，本体，特征；同一(性)，一致

参考例句：

• He never revealed his identity.他从未暴露过自己的身份。
• He showed his identity card and went in.他把工作证亮了一下就进去了。