"Just be yourself" is the worst advice you could possibly give someone. amirite?

That advice is premised by the fact that being anything other than yourself is unsustainable. If you get a whole group of friends based on a persona you manufactured not only will you almost always get exposed eventually but upkeep on acting a way contradictory to who you actually are is exhausting. It's good sound advice when it's fully explained. It simply means let people get to know you and your interests from there you can find common ground on which you can connect.

by Anonymous 11 hours ago

Idk if I agree with this, respectfully You can accept and love yourself but also grow in a healthy way into somebody else. People can and do change and they shouldn't be afraid that change is unsustainable.

by Anonymous 11 hours ago

It's not that deep of advice. If you like someone who likes motorcycles, don't pretend you've loved motorcycles your whole life. Just be yourself, plus they'll have fun introducing the world of motorcycles to you.

by Anonymous 10 hours ago

That's not the point… people can and should change overtime but they shouldn't be forcing a change of what they think they should be. Instead, choosing to "be yourself" means finding and expressing what interests you and what makes you unique personally and not trying to be the idea of what a "better" person would be.

by Anonymous 10 hours ago

You can't grow in a healthy way while pretending you are someone you are not. I agree people can change but only from a place of honesty. And honesty isn't hiding behind a persona you have made to fit in.

by Anonymous 10 hours ago

"Be yourself" does not mean "Everyone will love you just how you are". "Be yourself" means "If all your friends only like you when you pretend that you are someone else, then you will never be able to completely relax around your friends"

by Anonymous 10 hours ago

Not everyone is anxiety ridden.

by Advanced_Chart_8257 9 hours ago

Uncommon isn't unpopular

by Anonymous 9 hours ago

Anxiety isn't even close to uncommon, chump.

by Anonymous 9 hours ago

I agree with you that such advice should be explained to kids. "Just be yourself" seems as useless to the "uninitiated" as "Just be positive" to a depressed person. It doesn't give you the how or the why. It's incredibly important to learn to be yourself as not being that is a major reason for stress and anxiety. And as you say, to learn how to grow with yourself towards the person you want to become.

by GlitteringDance 9 hours ago

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH Ayo brah you know where I can get a colonoscopy real quick thx in advance

by Awkward_Tangerine 9 hours ago

Y would u wanna be anything other than yourself , gotta be mental torture

by Anonymous 8 hours ago

Better advice would be to be the best version of yourself, by emphasizing your best qualities and improving on your negative ones.

by Anonymous 8 hours ago

I like this. Let's start saying that instead

by GlitteringDance 8 hours ago

Anxiety is a reaction and a defensive mechanism, it's not really the same as being who you are. Sure some people are naturally more cautious of anxious but you need to ask yourself if it is harming your quality of life being overly anxious to the point of making yourself sick. You're right about becoming a better version of yourself and people change to be pretty unrecognisable from their former selves but that is still being true to yourself.

by Anonymous 8 hours ago