have you ever wondered why your relationships or friendships don't seem fulfilling? have you ever felt like you weren't being heard or seen? have you ever stopped to ask yourself if it's really you or an idea of you that you're presenting to these individuals?
part of being human means we have a desire to conform, a desire to 'fit in'. we're social creatures; we need other people. but at what cost are you willing to merely 'fit in'? what parts of you are you sacrificing for these relationships?
in order to be accepted for who you are, you must first have the courage to be yourself. is there a chance of rejection? yes! is there is a chance of judgement? absolutely! but there's also a chance to form a beautiful, authentic connection.
when you choose to be the rawest and realest version of yourself, you give others a choice - a choice to either embrace you, or distance themselves from you. and what you'll find is you'll stop wasting time with people who don't accept you. who don't see you. who don't embrace you for you.
for most of my life i've been told i'm too much. too intense. that all i want to do is talk about feelings. and for a few years i tried to censor myself; i tried to be less. but it was miserable. it wasn't until i chose to be myself, as deep and intense as i sometimes can be, that i started to find my people. that i started to not just be accepted for who i was, but embraced for it.
and now? i'm surrounded by these people. and i'm surrounded only because i took the time to figure out what makes me, me. and then i chose, with unwavering commitment, to be that person regardless of the consequences. knowing yourself, and i mean deeply knowing yourself, allows you the confidence and security to be yourself in any situation. and it's only then will you find 'your people'.
so, what makes you, you? and how can you live truest to this person that you are?