Live Authentically: 10 Reasons You Need To Rid Your Life Of Bullsh*t
About a year and a half ago, I decided I was done with the bullsh*t.
I had been living a life that wasn't genuine, authentic or even remotely what I wanted.
I worried about what others thought of me, and while I may have looked happy, I was in fact not.
After making a conscious effort to ditch the BS and live the life I wanted (not the one others wanted for me), my life changed in truly amazing ways. I was happier, healthier and content.
Things began to spiral in an incredible way, and I transformed my life into the one I had always dreamed of having. I work when I want, I see who I want and I live how I want.
Here are 10 reasons why you need to cut the bullsh*t out of your life immediately:
1. You're Only Wasting Your Own Time And Energy
You think you're making your life easier by telling little white lies (or sometimes, really big lies) to yourself and to others by doing things you don't want to do but feel "obligated to" or by giving in to someone else's demands.
The truth is, you're actually making your life more difficult.
With every lie you tell, you're denying your feelings and desires.
You're wasting your time pursuing other people's passions, and you're putting your life on the back burner. This method of decision-making isn't conducive to any type of healthy lifestyle.
2. You're Losing People's Trust
We've all watched politicians, celebrities and athletes backpedal when their dirty little secrets come out.
They've embarrassed themselves, their families and their communities. They lose contracts, reliability and credit — and what for?
To cover up something that came out anyway?
They then plea for second chances, and the thing is, most of us give it to them. But, why put yourself in a position that requires a second chance? Save yourself all of the grief, rebuilding and loss of trust.
At some point, you'll have to explain why things aren't adding up, which will only dig you even deeper into that bullsh*t hole. If you're simply honest from the beginning, you won't have to waste time explaining yourself.
3. Bullsh*t Attracts Bullsh*t
You really think you're the only one out there bullsh*tting people?
Newsflash: You're not, and the day will come when you'll look around and realize everyone in your life is full of bullsh*t, too.
You attract more flies with honey than you do with sh*t, so be wary of what you're putting out there.
We all have friends who are infamous for their farfetched stories no one believes. We know they're BSing us and we tend to take everything they say with a grain (or pile) of salt.
Don't be one of those people.
4. Others Can Smell Your Bullsh*t
Most of us can tell when we are being fed bullsh*t; if you can't, it's because you are, in fact, deep down in that bullsh*t hole yourself.
The more you try to bullsh*t people, the more likely they are to tell you what you want to hear, which doesn't mean a damn thing.
I have met people throughout my life who feed me whatever I want to hear, and why? Because they wanted something? When something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
Listen to your gut, and let them play in their own pile of sh*t.
5. You're Losing Opportunities To Grow And Learn
By not being truthful to yourself and to others, you're losing valuable opportunities to learn from your mistakes, make real changes and discover the life you really want.
Some of the greatest and most profound events in history have come from people admitting they were wrong and making amends to fix it.
Whether you realize it now, or 10 years from now, by not being honest, you're just holding yourself back from progress.
Sure, life is a marathon, not a sprint. We all have to make our own mistakes, but learn from them. Make real changes so you don't get stuck in the same old rut.
6. You're Half-Assing Your Own Life
You're not actually living your life to its full potential.
You go about your day, kind of doing things, which means you kind of get results. It's incredible what happens when you actually see things to completion and check off those life events, goals and opportunities that have been sitting on your bucket list forever.
Furthermore, after you check off these things, you get to create new goals and aspirations that take your life to the next level. This means different things to different people, but it always leads to something better.
Essentially, you're stunting your own growth, so get out of your own way.
7. You're Not Living Authentically
Even if you're bullsh*tting just a little bit, you are still holding yourself back from being as true to yourself as possible; you aren't honoring yourself. You need to cut the crap and live your truth.
You'll never be able to please everyone, so stop trying to do so!
8. You're Learning How To Say No
We usually create lies, act dishonestly and implement a pile of bullsh*t when we are too afraid to tell someone "no."
By getting rid of the BS, you are teaching yourself how to tell others "no," and the more you tell others "no," the easier doing so becomes.
"No" is not something we should fear; it is something that holds power and honors our own feelings, wishes and wants.
Know when to say yes, and learn to say no.
9. You're Losing Yourself
You can fall so far into the bullsh*t you eventually begin to believe your own BS.
You forget what you truly wanted, who you truly are and what happiness truly feels like. You become a zombie-like version of yourself who is angry, unhealthy and no fun to be around. You lose friends, you lose jobs and you lose a life.
Don't fall too far down that rabbit hole because the deeper you get, the harder it is to climb out.
10. You're Creating Better And Healthier Relationships
When you lose the bullsh*t, you find you lose the people who don't matter and you gain the respect of those who do.
You will lose people who you considered friends, but the truth is, they were never your friends; they were simply people who liked you for the wrong reasons because you told them what they wanted to hear.
What you gain in return is the trust and respect of people who are healthier, both mentally and physically, to be around. Their opinions are the ones that truly matter.
When I ditched the BS, this was a hard pill to swallow because I thought I found some really amazing friends and a person I loved. However, as I became the best version of myself, they weren't supportive.
They were stunted in their own lives, and they didn't want to watch me flourish. The truth is, when you are happy, you want others around you to be happy, too. Let the "Negative Nancys" go, and you do you.
Bullsh*t metaphorically and literally stinks up your life. You can only shove so much of it down people's throats before you are too toxic to ingest.
Ultimately, I found my truest truth when I cut the bullsh*t out. I became extremely realistic about my life and how I live it. I am now positive and confident about what I am doing and who I surround myself with.
I found a career that made me excited to wake up in the morning, a solid group of friends whom I call my family and a life that has genuinely never made me happier.
When I cut the bullsh*t out, I found out who I really was.
Citations: Artisan & King (Barrett Pall)
