As I start this post I've just thought of this quote I found a few years ago:
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
I've written before on how we're all different and everyone is unique and we all have something different to offer this world. As you are, you cannot be replaced, no two personalities match. You are you. Who's going to be like you? No one. Why do people want to change who they are? Peer pressure. How do you get comfortable with who you are? By accepting who you are.
I've answered enough questions so I can conclude this blog post now. No of course not, this blog post is not over yet so sit back, grab some coffee or something if you like and keep reading :). I have a story I want to tell you first before I get in to everything else, this is a part of my story.
A long time ago, (ok not too long ago I'm not that old yet), I was a teenager starting off in high school. High school is a big step. It's where you go from being a kid who had fun to thinking about what you want to do with your life. It's where you want to make new friends and be accepted among your peers. You go from not having a care in the world and running around having fun to worrying about what's going on around you.
I spent some of my high school years feeling like I wanted to be someone else. That no one was going to like me for me. I wanted to be more of this and less of that. I was in my shell and I couldn't express myself or show the world me. I felt like I couldn't show people who I was and people didn't understand who I was so they came up with their own ideas. I was quiet and kept to myself a lot. There were times when I felt isolated and alone.
Before I go on this is not a sad story it's just a journey I had in my life to figuring out who I was. As the years in high school went by I got a little bit more comfortable and started to be more of me, just being myself. Then I realised some people liked who I am even with my crazy sense of humour. The whole time I wanted to be something different but the more I was me the more I got comfortable in my own skin and started to be happy with who I am.
The person you will be best at being is you. No one knows how to be you better than you. I'm talking about being the good, best version of yourself. If you've got bad qualities and your character is showing bad behavior a lot or all the time then don't be that, you can change. That's not being yourself. You may think that's you but you have good in you too. There is that person in you that God created you to be and when that person comes out that's the you that should stay.
We're all different personalities and comparing ourselves to others is never going to get us anywhere. You can't be compared, there's no one that matches you to compare to. Let them be who they are and you be who you are. If you're not being yourself you're starving the world of who you are because no can take your place.
Life is a journey and part of it is a discovery of who you are. You know what you want to be. You know what you don't want to be. You know what you like. You know what you don't like. No outside person should be able to change that. People can't tell you what to be. You know how to be you better than anyone. Especially if you be yourself, the best version of yourself. No one has control over you except you.
You've got to learn to love the person you are. However you are. You're not going to be perfect all the time. You will make mistakes. You're not going to have all the other qualities you like in people around you. You're not going to be accepted by everyone. Not everyone will like you. If you be yourself you will find the right people that do like you.
We are not mistakes. We are not our failures. We are not other people's disappointments. We are not other people's targets. We each have something special about us. We each have a light to shine. We each have a smile to give. We each have a hope and future. We are all God's children. We are all different. We are all loved. We can all be the best good version of ourselves.
Would you like to know "How to Be Yourself?" I cannot tell you. Yes that was a helpful answer... I cannot tell you because I am not you. I don't know who you are but God does. He knows exactly who you are. He knows you to the core of your being. Take God's hand and step out of the shadows and be yourself! Be happy with the person God made you to be. Then you will find the right people who love you for who you are.
I try to be me despite what the world thinks of me. Even if I do seem like I got thrown against a wall as a baby or something must have smacked me in the head as a teenager that's me and I'm happy being me. I'm not going to be a lot of things but there are a lot of things I already am and I like those things. Yes it would have been nice if I could do things that I cannot do but I am thankful for the things I can do. I am thankful for my life and for the people in my life.
It's easy to fall in to the trap of what people think and to get hurt but it's not about what the world thinks of you, it's about what God thinks of you.
God will bring out the best version of yourself. You will have to work on yourself every day but every day God will be right by your side. You're never going to be perfect all the time but you can be better.
I appreciate all the different people in my life and I like that we're all different and we are all unique. I said on my birthday this year about all people, I'm glad you were all born in to this world and the world would not be the same without you because it wouldn't. You're special and cannot be replaced. Be Yourself :)!
Until I write again,
Keep being the awesome person you are :-)
God Bless,
Nicola Hill
