Be yourself -- and don't apologize for it

"Being you is all that you can do," or so says a song I heard this morning by rock band Audioslave.

The aptly named track "Be Yourself" describes what I feel people should aim to do all the time -- whether they're in the middle of a job interview, on a blind date, or at a party.

Now, just because you project the "real you" doesn't mean you can't strive to better yourself, whether that means taking public speaking classes, giving up drinking, or becoming more charitable.

But when it comes to your natural core -- your true temperament, your bedrock principles -- you should always stand firm.

You shouldn't have to fake who you are just to impress other people. If others don't give their stamp of approval to the most genuine version of yourself, guess what? (1) You don't need their validation to begin with, and (2) You're with the wrong people.

The right people for us, on the other hand, accept us for who we are -- flaws and all.

Think about how many jobs and relationships come to an end because someone turns out to be a lot different than expected. In most cases, an individual projected a certain image of themselves in the beginning that didn't align with reality.

Maybe they sought to demonstrate that they were more gregarious than they really are, or more interested in a serious commitment than is really the case.

In the end, faking your personality comes back to bite you. The real "you" eventually reveals itself, and while it may have worked for a while, people never look at you the same way again.

It may sound counterintuitive, but most people respect those who stick to their core values -- even if they run contrary to their own. And those who don't probably won't last long in your life anyway.

You've probably heard the axiom, "Honesty is the best policy." That isn't just some tired cliche. Turning your back on what makes you you is one of the worst things you can do, for it means you're willing to part with your identity -- your uniqueness -- just to appease other people.

Take pride in who you are, even if that means you won't be getting another call from your date or the employer you interviewed with. Once you find the right fit, you'll be glad you didn't cave.