I was watching Super Soul Sunday recently (as proud members of the Church of Winfrey are inclined to do) and wandered onto Oprah’s website. One of my favorite Oprah-isms is the Aha! Moment – an epic instant of understanding that can change the course of one’s life.

Steve Carell’s came to him while he was eyeing a pair of cargo pants in a Target. Even though his brain was screaming STAY AWAY FROM THE RIDICULOUS PANTS, he finally chose to admit something:

“I have come to the realization that I am not cool.”

Now, I don’t think anyone was ever under the impression that Steve Carell was cool (sorry Steve) but sometimes it takes us longer to accept these things about ourselves.

The resistance to accept who we really are currently keeps us from becoming who we’re meant to be. My hope is that we all reach an impasse in an addictive discount retail store where we decide to accept ourselves for who we are.

Slip on the pants – after buying them of course.

Maybe it means acknowledging that there will always be someone more graceful, intelligent, or successful – but that we are all those things to ourselves just by embracing self-acceptance.

No one said it would be easy. Here are a few words of encouragement from people who figured out that the best person to be is, well, you:

You just have to be yourself and go full with confidence and be courageous. — Gabby Douglas

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Be yourself. Unapologetically. — Kesha

Cool means being able to hang with yourself. All you have to ask yourself is ‘Is there anybody I’m afraid of? Is there anybody who if I walked into a room and saw, I’d get nervous?’ If not, then you’re cool. — Prince

*Feature Image via Yegide Matthews