It’s probably the biggest cliché we know . . . just be yourself.
We hear it before a job interview, a first date or just about anytime we’re facing something new and different. But what does it mean to be ourselves? Is it the perfect version of who we are? Does it change with each interaction? Or is it the person we are when no one else is around?
Well, for me, it’s the girl who watches her new favorite movie in theaters for the 3rd time. And the one who gets all warm and fuzzy at the sight of Christmas lights. She’s my favorite person . . . and she should be yours as well.
But how do we be ourselves? In a society that constantly tries to morph us into a specific version of “perfect,” it can be difficult to stay in-tune with who we really are. Although there are social norms that serve as protocol, we shouldn’t be confined by the restrictions of the world. And we sure as hell shouldn’t feel forced to lock ourselves away in order to fall in line. The solution? Well, take it from someone who definitely has more than one quirk . . . you have to own who you are and strut that confidence like you’re on fire! That’s it. That’s the key.
I won’t lie . . . exuding confidence all day, everyday can be challenging and sometimes obnoxious. But it’s certainly obtainable and 100% necessary in order to finally be the best version of who you are . . . yourself. Are you obsessed with a particular actor? Talk about him with pride and people will listen! Do you have wicked skills in whistling? Go at it with full force! Ladies, passion is extremely infectious. If you start to believe that who you are is actually an amazing and wonderfully weird person, well, it stands to reason that everyone else will, too. Nobody wants to be normal . . . and “normal” never got anyone anywhere.
So, embrace who you are and follow your passions! Add that Dance or Italian major and go confidently in the direction of your dreams. And if you’re still struggling to accept this, let me be a little more direct. Not very many people are passionate about the same things you are . . . but that simply means that you have a gift and you would be cheating yourself if you kept it under wraps. We all have a limited time here on Earth (except Betty White . . . she’s immortal) so we need to spend these precious moments advancing the idea that each and every one of us is beautifully unique. Staying true to ourselves isn’t a cliché: it’s a promise. We owe it to ourselves.
Now, let’s all strut on the count of three.
1 . . . 2 . . . 3!