Sometimes we lie to ourselves and we believe (most of) them. Most of the time we don't realize we do. The sources of these lies are learned from family and friends, but the biggest culprit is society and the kind of world we live in. Am I saying to blame your friends and family? No, because they are likely doing it unintentionally and passing on what they've learned.
1. You have to have this fabulous and flashy lifestyle.
No you don't. You are who you are, and if you don't want that, then awesome. Don't get me wrong, because for some are content with this lifestyle. For others? Not so much. It's about what you want and what makes you feel safe and comfortable and happy. If you are content with staying in and watching movies rather than going out to the bars, then you do you.
2. You have to look a certain way in order to be beautiful.
I can't even begin to explain how wrong this is. We typically learn this one from society and from idolizing celebrities and how they look. The expectations we have for they way men "should" look like is washboard abs, big biceps, strong jaw, etc. The expectations we have for how women "should" look like is flat tummy, big lips, curvy but not too curvy, etc. "F*ck you, society and anyone who tells me that I'm not beautiful. You don't get to tell us what is beautiful and what isn't."
3. You aren't enough.
WRONG. Dead wrong. Leave it to Maya Angelou to hit the nail on the head. This lie we learn from society. You make mistakes. You have regrets. You are not perfect. We all have darkness in us, but we also have light inside. Let the light shine through. If you have to prove anything to anyone, it should be to prove to yourself that you are enough. We all have something that someone else needs. For someone you are not enough, but for someone else? You, and just who you are, are just want they need most.
4. You have to have it all together all the time.
Repeat after me: "You don't have to have it together all the time." You are allowed to have days when you need to break down and cry. You are allowed to have days when you want to scream and yell in frustration. You are allowed to have days when you are angry at the world. You are allowed to have feelings, and most importantly, you are definitely allowed to experience and actually feel them and not ignore or surpress them.
5. Your GPA and grades define who you are.
I won't deny that employers look at these in a job interview, but I hear over and over that they are looking for experience more. Say you have a 3.3 GPA but you have experience in your field, that's likely to be smiled upon. Our society today puts more value on the grade than the actually learning. What you get out of a class or what you leave the class with is more important than the grade.
