Learning To Be Comfortable In Our Own Skin:

There’s something magical about when you turn forty. It’s a time of really stepping into who and what you truly are. At least that’s how it has felt for me over the past ten-odd months.

I spent a lot of my younger years feeling uncomfortable in my own skin – being afraid to show my uniqueness. Society loves to condemn those who are different, and although a part of me has always shown my uniqueness anyway, I still felt uneasy and anxious about those differences. I felt I had to monitor how much of me I could show. 

It is human nature to want to be liked, but the hard truth is not everyone will like or accept us. That is something we cannot control or change. However, what we can control and change is our care factor. I used to feel like I had to wear a facade in order for people to like me. I copped so much hatred as a teenager that it made me feel like the real me was unlovable. It definitely altered the way I showed up in the world at times. 

But something has changed in me since turning forty. I’d probably say it has more to do with the amount of healing I’ve done, rather than the actual number, but there has definitely been a shift in my care factor about other people’s opinions of me. I feel this deep inner strength in the power of my authenticity. It’s like I just don’t care about showing who I really am anymore. I now know that the people who are meant to be in my life will accept and love me for who I truly am, and the ones who don’t aren’t meant to be in my life anyway! It’s a very liberating feeling.

There’s too many people that are focused on trying to “fit” in, when really, they should be more concerned with trying to stand out for who they really are. Everyone is obsessed with copying each other. When you look at people’s houses today all you see is white-on-white-on-white with a splash of grey, God, it’s soooooooo boring! You’ve got people that follow whatever the current fashion trend is that’s predetermined by designers. Even when the “trend” doesn’t suit them or their body shape, they wear it anyway to “fit in” with the crowd. It’s even filtered down to women trying to make their faces all look the same by jabbing toxic poison into their face. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m all for women wanting to look their best, but with all that shit in their face they are not looking their best. In fact, they don’t even look like themselves anymore. They all look the same – like a plastic stepford wife. It’s a seriously weird phenomenon to watch unfold! And, it’s incredibly sad to see the lengths that people will go to in the attempt to suppress who they really are!

I, for one, am so glad that I stopped caring about trying to fit in. It’s tiresome, it’s ugly, and it’s a real disservice, not only to ourselves, but to the broader world! I don’t want to be like or look like anyone else. I just want to be me. And, it’s kind of funny; since I’ve been showing who I really am, I seem to be more accepted than when I was trying to be someone else. 

When you step into authenticity, you start to attract people who are also authentic. On the premise of like attracts like, it makes logical sense that when you’re hiding who you truly are, you will naturally attract people who are also being fake. It’s not exactly a solid foundation to create a good friendship is it?

So, in a world full of grey, I dare you to be bold and colourful. Standing out from the crowd might seem scary, but I promise you it’s the only way to find the right crowd for you. When you show you, the real you, it’s like the majesty of a rainbow that shines amongst a dark and dreary day. Be the colour of the rainbow, not the dreariness of the cloud!

#beyou #authenticity #comfortableinyourownskin