This morning I am bursting with pride and love for someone I don’t even know.
I’ve never met him, never talked to him on the phone, never seen him except for a few pictures online. But I’ve been reading his blog for over a year and I feel like I know him. I think of him in terms of being a friend that I just haven’t met yet.
Yesterday he posted a blog post about an issue that is very important to him and hard for some people to accept. He put himself out there entirely and basically said, “This is who I really am guys. You can accept it and keep reading, or you can leave.”
How brave is that?
How courageous is it to lay it all out there? To know that some people won’t like you and do it anyway. To know that some people won’t approve and do it anyway. To know that some people will decide that they are better off without you and leave… yet do it anyway.
Not all of us have big things we hide from others. Most of us just have little secrets. We have little things we hide from others, little things we change about ourselves, or omit when we are with others. We want to please others so badly that we change these little things so we will be more to their liking. We trick ourselves by thinking, “Oh these are just little things I am changing! They aren’t important and this person will like me better!”
So we slowly hide and change ourselves to fit an image we think others should have of us. We give ourselves up to please other people. It’s wrong. It’s painful. We chip away at ourselves for no good reason.
Some people are brave enough to stop it. They decide enough is enough and they will be who they are no matter what.
I know I want to be like that. I am becoming more and more like that every day. I am becoming unapologetically myself, because I realize there is no one else who needs to be pleased besides me. If I am not happy with myself then who cares if other people are?
My hope is that all of you learn this same lesson: BE YOURSELF NO MATTER WHAT!
No matter what it is about you that you think others won’t like. Own your personality, traits, lifestyle, plans, etc. Be yourself without wondering if other people will think it is okay or not. As long as you are happing and being unapologetically yourself your friends will love you. Those people that don’t like it? Their opinion really doesn’t matter.
This is a great post! Thank you.
You are so right… A lot of my problems in life stem from trying to conform. Now that I’m learning to be true to myself, things are falling into place in so many areas.
Well done!
Hanlie’s last blog post..My changing body
Well said!!
Christina’s last blog post..TGIF
wow.. hit enter before I was done.. geesh
This post is exactly what I’ve been thinking lately.. People try sooo hard to be something they are not when what they don’t realize is most people will actually like them better if they just stayed true to themselves. I guess the way that I look at it, I’m me.. this is who I am.. if you don’t like it you don’t have to stay or be my friend. :)
Christina’s last blog post..TGIF
Great post!
Being truthful to oneself is the most important thing in live.
It is only when we are true to ourselves that we can move forward.
Guy’s last blog post..Weight Loss Goals
I felt the same way when I read his post. Just wanted to go and give him a gigantic hug and say THANK YOU.
You being you is what makes you special.
Sagan’s last blog post..Struggling with overeating: Brainstorming session!
Just started following your blog (linked from choosinglosing) and I love this post! My boyfriend is Mexican, so I recommend the following:
*fajitas (skip the sour cream if you can, and do a small bit of guac, load up on salsa or pico de gallo)
*tostada (esp if they have seviche–a topping which is fish/shrimp, salsa, onions, cuc’s, carrots, tomatoes…very healthy and tasty!! bf’s fave dish)
*a mojito, a glass of wine, or a corona lite (hate lite beer, but I swear this one has very little difference)
*avoid tortilla chips if you can (110 calories=10 chips or something…yikes!)
*divide it in half.
It is important to be true to ourselves. It’s also very theraputic to let go of secrets and be open and honest with everyone.
Nice post
BigGirl’s last blog post..Feeling Like A Race Horse
Great Post! That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking about lately, being who I am warts and all (no, I don’t have warts, just the saying).
MackAttack’s last blog post..looking for some health foods.
*applauds*
wildfluffysheep’s last blog post..the pub and other stuff…
My mom wisely taught me this when I was young and going through a rough patch at school. So I became the ultimate rebel who rejected the cookie cutter behavior of all the “cool” crowd. ;-)
MamaBearJune’s last blog post..Today – a new low!
Being yourself is the key. I know alot of people, especially women ( yes I am SO guilty ) who do the people pleasing thing. The more I am happy with the person that am becoming….the easier it is to believe that I am worth more then to conform.
Great post!
DANA’s last blog post..go the extra mile
I like those peoples who do not think about the others that what other think about them and your decision is also very appreciable.Nice.
Wow Mary, I’m speechless. Thank you so much for this post :).
Tony’s last blog post..The Gaysian
Mmm. I just went and read that blogpost.
Mary, your blog is definitely becoming a favorite of mine. Keep this up, please.
Tony, be who you are. There’s nothing else you should ever be. :)
Art’s last blog post..Another day without my love…
Thanks for stopping by my blog… I’m going to read through yours too! :)
Amy’s last blog post..Weeee!
Those are words to live by if I’ve ever heard any! Great post.
Marsha @ Green Mountain at Fox Run’s last blog post..Dealing with Depression and Eating
WOW! What a great post. This is exactly what I needed to hear. You are so right when you state that if we are not happy with ourselves then it doesn’t matter if anyone is. I also love how you said DO IT ANYWAY! I believe there is a quote from Mother Teresa that says do it anyway regarding many things. Bottom line not everyone will like you or always agree with you but if you are happy and content with it then DO IT ANYWAY!
XO Shannon
Shannon Fab Fattie’s last blog post..My Hero… My Dad