Why Would You Deny Your True Self?

How many times have you spoken with someone at the office who pushes paper for a living in a constant state of unhappiness and discovered they are in fact passionate, dedicated experts at something that has nothing to do with their miserable job? Perhaps my experience is unique, but it happens to me all the time. It makes me sad to know there are so many people who stand in the way of their own happiness by denying who they are, and it also makes me curious as to why we inhibit our own freedoms. Why would you deny your true self? I do not wish to make excuses for this unfortunate phenomenon, but I do believe there are a few basic reasons as to why we exhibit this tendency. We deny our true selves because of fear, stubbornness, and money; we deny our true selves because of things that are inconsequential in the long run.

Why would we be afraid of who we are? While I believe this is the case for some people who deny their true selves, I think for most people there is another explanation. We are not afraid of whom we are, but rather we fear what other people will think should they glimpse our true colors. As a result we present the world with a diluted version of ourselves, like the muted tones of a water color instead…