I think it’s quite the same like with: “I like it when people always are honest and tell the truth right in the face”
Careful… the wording alone in your definition could be cause for concern…
First of all I have to say that I disagree with most of what you said. First of all you should always be yourself, regardless of ridicule or unpopularity. Seeking to find happiness outside of your self may be rewarding for a while, but as you said regrets will be felt later. It is not whether or not one should be themselves in certain situations, but if that “self” is unpleasing then one should seek to change that flaw.
Society as a whole is extremely ignorant, mis-guided, and follow trends like mice follow cheese. So most of the time it is ignorance of the masses not the faults of a few individuals. What these so-called “geeks” need to realize is that self sets its own rules, its own meaning of exitement. What often happens is that people get caught up in what others say about them, therefore labeling themselves as outcasts which hurts their chances of socializing with all kinds of people.
People do not need to let popular media tell them how they should be, but they do for lack of understanding who “they” really are. It should be noted that in some circles or schools of thought being apprehensive and manner oriented is considered the norm, and so wild freethinkers are the outcasts. When will we realize that the world is not one thing, and neither is pleasure, popularity, or good behavior.
What’s really yourself is as small a geno-chunk as you can possibly imagine - that’s your seed, your uniqueness, yourself proper. All the rest is grown, add-ons, imitation and developmentation. Being yourself is obviously not about retarding your intellect and depriving your majority characteristics, it’s all about growing yourself in your “way” - your “way” is an innate, fundamental, prestored governing body that’s sprung out of your seed. Dug as deep as you can to know your way and take on as much as you can on your way.
Learn from the plants, they never make existential mistakes.