Remember, it's cool to be you! Think of one fun thing you really want to do today. Maybe draw, dance, or play? Do what makes you happy, because you're awesome just the way you are!

Advice like “Just be yourself” or “be authentic!” is so well-meaning — but also so very difficult to put into practice. It's particularly hard if you’ve been immersed in Old Happy culture for a long time, spending years pretending to be someone else and losing track of yourself along the way.

We need to translate this platitude into an action. Here's how to do it.

Ask yourself: What is one thing that my true self really wants to do today?

The answer is so often surprising, yet always exactly what you need. And while these small actions might not seem like much, they add up. As you ask and act, you’re becoming more of yourself — and leaving behind the false idea that you have to be anyone else other than you.