How To Be True To Your Self
In a world obsessed with “more” — more roles, more hustle, more appearances to keep up — being true to your Self can feel like swimming against the current.
But make no mistake: it’s the most important swim you’ll ever take.
Living from your true Self is not about becoming someone new.
It’s about stripping away the layers of other people’s expectations and outdated beliefs until you return to the essence of who you already are.
This is the work of becoming by unbecoming — a sacred rebellion against the pressure to conform, led by inner truth rather than outer noise.
Two Paths on the Journey
When you’re in transition — personal, professional, or spiritual — you’re faced with a choice:
The path where fear, overwhelm, and old conditioning keep you on autopilot.
Or the path marked by peace, clarity, and a feeling of coming home to yourself.
The difference? Who’s in the driver’s seat — your ego or your Essential Self.
Do something brave. Do something unexpected. Just do something. – Nina
What It Really Means to Be True to Your Self
Being true to yourself is about more than “self-care” days and vision boards (nothing wrong with those).
It’s about realizing you are an eternal being — a spark of Divine Intelligence — here to live from that truth.
When you do, you tap into a current of wisdom that fuels your creativity, intuition, and joy.
The more you align with this truth, the less you live like a flickering light powered by someone else’s cord…
and the more you become a lighthouse — steady, grounded, shining from your own inner source.
Your becoming happens by unbecoming what’s not you.
Defining Your True Self
Your personality is the container — your unique way of seeing and experiencing the world.
Your true Self is the source — the bridge between your human personality and Divine Intelligence (the field of all that is good, whole, creative, and loving).
My work, Spiritual Personality Typing, exists to help you understand this dynamic. Because when your personality is in harmony with your spirit, your entire life becomes sacredly strategic, soul-led, and characteristically authentic. You become a truth-talker!
But here’s the catch:
Your ego can hijack your personality. It can convince you to keep playing roles that please others but deplete you.
When you notice this, that’s your invitation to hand the steering wheel back to your spirit mind — the part of you that always knows where to go.
Living true to your Self isn’t the end goal — it’s the daily practice.
The Common Blocks to Being True to Your Self
1. Fear of Judgment
When you let fear dictate your choices, you craft a false self.
Remember: People’s opinions are often shaped by their own insecurities. Being authentic may make you stand out — which is a sign of alignment, not a flaw.
2. Social Conditioning
From childhood forward, you’ve been told “how” to be — by parents, teachers, culture, media. Much of it has nothing to do with your soul’s blueprint. Question it. Ask: Does this way of being match my heart’s truth or an inherited “should”?
3. Self-Rejection
Many hold themselves hostage with perfectionism. But your quirks are your fingerprints — proof of your originality. Embracing them is not just self-love, it’s self-honoring.
Living true to your Self isn’t the end goal — it’s the daily practice.
Cultivating a True Self Lifestyle
Here’s the thing: Your true Self thrives in the right environment. Here are keys to building one:
Communicate Sincerely – Speak with honesty and heart. Let your truth guide your words.
Set and Protect Boundaries – Boundaries are love in action — protecting the energy you need to stay aligned.
Choose Heart-Centered Connections – Surround yourself with people whose presence feels nourishing and who celebrate your individuality.
Boundaries are not walls — they are invitations to meet the real you.
A Daily True Self Practice
One of my favorite ways to stay connected is to start the day with a simple prayer-journal question:
“Divine, please show me.”
Sometimes the answer drops in right away. Sometimes it arrives in a later conversation or quiet moment. But it always comes.
Your Essential Self will never demand you conform — only that you come home.
A Quick Self-Check
When you feel anxious, drained, or resentful, you might be out of alignment with your true Self.
Pause. Ask yourself:
Is this mine to carry?
Am I acting from fear or truth?
- Does it feel good (that’s truth) or does it feel icky (untruth)
When you feel joy, peace, or an easy confidence, it’s a sign you’re in harmony with your true Self. Follow what makes you light up — it’s your compass pointing home.
“Working with Nina helped me remove the blind spots that were holding me back”, Judith Wilms, TedX, Author. A bespoke clarity session maybe just what you need to stop living your life and instead create the life of your dreams!
One Last Perspective Shift
The life you’re here to live won’t be built by stacking on more and more.
It’s revealed by peeling away what’s false, irrelevant, and expired.
Being true to your Self isn’t the end of the journey — it is the journey. And every time you choose it, the world gets the gift of the real you.
Travel A Tonic for Self-Discovery
Can you see why I staunchly believe that travel is a tonic for the soul? Travel offers a real-time opportunity to observe your personality type in action. It’s an enriching environment—a living classroom for self-discovery—that exposes you to diverse experiences. This encourages self-reflection, fosters personal growth, and provides countless opportunities to step outside your comfort zone.
This post offers a sneak peek into my book, Unpack Your Personality: Let Your Inner Guide Be Your Travel Guide. It’s part memoir (my story of self-discovery through travel), part introduction to Spiritual Personality Typing℠—a reimagining of Myers-Briggs (MBTI) through the lens of spiritual alignment—and part personalized travel guidebook. The idea is that all of these roads lead to self-discovery.
Please know that I curate these posts to be both meaningful and educational, designed to help you navigate the needs of your sacred personality type on the road, in business, and in life. If you’re interested in exploring your unique travel personality type, feel free to contact me me for a one-on-one travel session.
Ready To Get to Know Yourself
Are you ready to embark on the road less traveled and join the rare 10% who truly know themselves? If you’re seeking more, I offer bespoke one-on-one sessions designed to help you discover yourself from the inside out. This is pure self-awareness—an opportunity to connect with your authentic self.
Together, we’ll shine a light on self-sabotaging behaviors and break negative cycles. We’ll also explore what brings you the greatest joy, both in daily life and on your travels.
Ready to start your journey? Let’s connect and uncover the unique path meant just for you. Click here to schedule a 1:1 clarity call.
More About Spiritual Personality Typing™️
My goal is to shift perspectives around MBTI® personality typing—to break free from stereotypes and oversimplifications. Remember, your personality type is sacred. Your persona is just a mask.
It’s my intention that you begin to see your archetype as a sacred tool—an expression of your true self.
Of course, good things in life come to those who do the work. Take responsibility and make personality typing, infused with spiritual understanding, a daily practice. You’ll soon realize that your rational self and your soul self rely on each other to ignite a soulful meaningful life. When you fully embrace this concept, a profound awakening occurs. It moves you closer to your truth, liberating you from a purposeless existence.
You’ll be ready for any occasion, situation, or event—whether it’s travel, relationships, career, passion, or purpose. Ahh, living a meaningful life—isn’t that what we all desire?
Please Share How To Be True To Your True Self
It’s always my intention to encourage you and plant seeds to help you think differently. To tap into the unique aspects of your true self through spiritual personality type. By doing so, we can collectively raise the vibration of the planet. If you know someone—a friend, co-worker, or family member—who is struggling with self-understanding or seeking their true self, please share this post with them. You never know who might need this message today.
You can also find me on Pinterest, Instagram, and LinkedIn. for more inspiration and resources.
Want to Dive Deeper? I Got You
If this speaks to you even a little bit, check out my podcast interview on Reinvention Rebels with host Wendy Battles
🎧 Reinvention at 66: Nina Zapala’s Journey To Embrace Imperfection and Ignite Her Purpose
👉 Listen here.
Thank you, Wendy, for believing in my mission — even before I fully believed in it myself. 🩵
Additional Resources:
👀 For additional learning watch more on my YouTube Channel. Click here
🔖How to Embrace the Soul Self in Business: click here for the link.
🔖 How To Remove External Layers Of Fear From Your Persona: click here for the link.
📚 Or grab a copy of my debut book: Unpack Your Personality: Let Your Inner Guide Be Your Travel Guide
Who Is Nina Zapala?
Hey, I’m Nina Zapala—creator of Spiritual Personality Typing℠, a new way to connect your mind and spirit so you can actually show up as your real self. My mission? Plant seeds for a fresh kind of thinking—where self-expression isn’t just allowed, it’s unstoppable.
I’m also the mind behind the (un)Brand: a soul-first, zero-cookie-cutter approach for founders who are done with branding clichés and performance games. No more approval-chasing. No more shrinking to fit in. The (un)Brand helps you show up fully—characteristically authentic, unapologetic, and 100% you.
With decades in branding, community, and cause marketing (and 300+ articles to prove it), I help women take back their identity and purpose. My book, Unpack Your Personality Let Your Inner Guide Be Your Travel Guide., is your invite to trust your gut and journey inward.
Let’s be real—someone rocks blue hair or pitches a bold idea, and most people roll their eyes or back away. My work? Burns old scripts. Instead we light up what makes you exquisitely different.
Photo by Monstera Production:
