Are you funny, smart, calm, driven, cautious, or giving? What makes you unique? Do you ever wonder, “Is it okay to be me with my quirkiness?” “Am I too much?” “What if I’m so different…?” Were you brought up to NOT be seen or heard, and to speak only when spoken to? Do you keep your personality hidden?

Encourage the people you live with, especially kids and teens, to be themselves, each as individuals, warts and all! Acknowledge, and try to understand their likes and dislikes. It will make parenting a lot easier than simply trying to change what you don’t like or agree with.  The same goes for spouses!

Here are some suggestions to bring out the true personality in others:

1. Find out what their favorites are; color, food, entertainment, books, movies, music, sports, subjects in school, interests, passions, etc. For a more in-depth answer, ask, “What is it about ___________ do you like?” Example, “What is it about that book do you like?”

2. When faced with a task, ask others how they would do it.  There are many ways to accomplish things, or in a different order.  When appropriate, allow others to do things their way, even if it’s different from yours. You will learn how other’s think and may even learn a new way of doing something!

3. Be open to new ideas, new experiences, new foods, new styles of clothes, decorating or music.

4. Allow your children to decorate their own bedrooms, an area of their room or the bedding and wall decorations.

5. Encourage family members to each select photos that have special meaning to them. Talk about what is so special about the photos, then frame them or put them up on a wall or on the refrigerator.

Share this and ask others to do it with you too! Here’s to your self-expression!

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis