I remember telling a girl in elementary school that I had a crush on a boy, and she told me to pretend I liked something he liked so he would like me back. I remember thinking, what an odd thing to do. Why would I lie about who I am just to be liked?
Throughout my life, family, friends, teachers, and all kinds of people have told me who I should be, even when it didn’t feel like me.
And I just can’t do it.
We’re given one life. You can live yours however you want, and that’s fine, but I’m going to keep doing my own thing.
I’m going to make the song, write the book, take the picture, and edit the forking heck out of it, because those are the things I genuinely enjoy. I like exploring things that are weird, unconventional, even a little taboo.
The things I create are for me. If other people connect with it, that’s just a bonus, and I’m so grateful for it. And when I find people who like me for me, I know I’ve filtered through the crowd and found MY PEOPLE.
I’ve never been able to be anything other than who I truly am, and that’s not going to change. Because that’s how it’s supposed to be. That’s how you find the people who are actually worth keeping around. Think about that next time you feel like watering yourself down.