It’s Burju here, founder of Burju Shoes.

At Burju, we’re all about expressing yourself, being authentically you and embracing the things that make us different. Which is why I wanted to talk to you today about a favorite topic of mine: being true to yourself!

I’ve been thinking about this a lot during quarantine, and I wanted to share with you some tips that work for me...

1. Practice self acceptance

The media tricks us into thinking we need to be perfect all the time, and that’s simply not true. It’s more important to accept ourselves and all our flaws, practice self love, and be present (even if, like me, you’re juggling kids, a husband, and your own business!).

Our advice? Unfollow the people on social media who make you feel bad about yourself, and follow instead people who celebrate diversity and make you feel empowered.

2. Get out of those boxes

Pressures from society can make us feel like we have to fit into narrow little boxes, and this can mean denying who we really are. Whether it’s our expectations relating to our careers, parenthood, or even our gender, we have to learn to recognise what’s stopping us from being true to ourselves and rise above it. Otherwise we’ll never be free to live our best lives.

3. Celebrate your talents

Insanely good at dancing, singing, art, or something totally weird and wonderful? Then celebrate it!

Gifts are there to be used, and we should be sharing them with the world wherever we can. Don’t dim your light for anyone. And don’t be afraid to shine.

4. Express yourself

Madonna nailed it when she said: “express yourself, don’t repress yourself”. Make sure you’re feeling and expressing your emotions whenever possible. It’s so easy to pretend we’re okay when we’re not, or to feel afraid of being too happy when things go right.

Find a way to express and release those feelings, whether it’s through journaling, dancing or singing. I promise your life will feel fuller and more authentic!

5. See how others are doing it

It’s so important to find a creative outlet and to laugh during these challenging times. TikiTok is a great place to see people getting creative and being authentically themselves, whether it’s making hilarious comedy sketches or performing their hottest dance moves.

We recommend taking a peek over there to get some inspiration.

Love always,

Burju x