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The ability to be unabashedly oneself is far easier than it sounds. While it's quite simple to dance around one's house when no one is present, it is quite another to speak up for ourselves when others assume incorrectly as to our beliefs, preferences, education, and interests. It also takes great courage to present our ideas and our passions which are held dear to our heart, to the public, risking the potential criticism that may follow.
A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to have a conversation with a reader of the blog who is a talent in her own profession and whom I greatly admire. Having known me for a handful of years, when she spoke honestly, and offered her kind and lovely compliment, I unexpectedly found myself choking back tears. I was completely thrown by my response, and had to ask myself later why I became so emotional.
For any of us, when we choose to put our true selves out in public, to say "Here I am, love me or not, I can't be anybody else", we open the door to the possibility of meeting people who genuinely respect our efforts. Why? Because only those who are either in the middle of taking the risk of being themselves and chasing their dreams, have already done so and understand the extraordinary effort it takes or are looking for the nudge to take the leap, can understand it and appreciate it. And when you see it in someone there seems to be a respect that can't be found being an imitation.
On the flipside, where I will admit, I have been in the past, when we try to be someone we're not to please those we think we need to impress, we only end up building a life on shifting sand. Such insecurity built on a facade can't build itself into something great. Only when we choose take that deep breathe, and step out as we are - the tech genius, the golf prodigy, the pastry chef, the lover of fabulous interiors or the travel guru - and when we take this risk, life opens its treasure trunk. After all, it is an extraordinarily courageous person who has the courage to offer their true talents and selves. And I know you have it inside of you.
The risk of revealing ourselves can be great, as people can be rude, stand-offish, and inexplicably baffling, but the rewards are far sweeter than had we decided to follow society's dictates and trod along like sheep.
Today if you are already daring to be yourself in a world of followers, no matter how different or similar you are to those around you, applaud yourself, because it's not easy, and the rewards will soon be yours.
Here is a post from the archives you might enjoy . . .
