Being who you really are can be challenging. Maybe your opinion differs to the ‘group’ or you don’t feel confident enough to say what you think even though you’re sure you’re right. Perhaps you’ve spent years being somebody else and you’re not sure who you really are anymore. Whatever it may be for you, rest assured, you are not alone.

Some people seem to be their real self all the time and maybe that’s true for them, however others are just better at hiding who they really are behind a seemingly well-engineered facade. Some people need to ‘perform’ because that’s how they function socially as it takes a lot of emotional energy to be the life and soul of the party and sometimes that’s why some use stimulants to help them be who they think they want to be. Or who they think that others want them to be through the distorted filters with which they see the world.

Ever been in a social or professional situation where you feel you have to ‘perform’ and be somebody else? It can be tiring, can’t it? And ultimately, it could be argued that if you can’t be yourself in that kind of situation, then what’s the point? How many more times can you put up with being in that position?

What’s stopping you taking yourself out of that situation away from people with whom you can’t be yourself so you can then spend time being who you really are? And with people that you respect or who care about you and only want you to be who you are because that’s why they love you?

Sometimes you have to play a long time to be able to play like yourself (Miles Davis)

It’s not easy and it may take time, but it’s got to be worth it in the end, hasn’t it?

Photo by Wim van ‘t Einde on Unsplash