I became disoriented and nearly lost myself in pursuit of the approval of others. You’re told that teachers, religious leaders, and parents are supposed to guide you, but they don’t know where you’re meant to go. So why should they be the standard bearers for you?

Seeking their approval, you become caught up in the work of maintaining their standard, not establishing and living up to your own. You’re left trying to do what you could’ve done from the beginning, be yourself. That’s a backwards hustle. You’ve got to establish your identity.

We must all be ourselves for people to have the chance to like us for who we are.

I’ve found that freeing myself from the bondage of others’ expectations made me less vulnerable to those who might try to take advantage of me. My own standards became the lines that ill-intentioned people seemed fearful of crossing, and that made room for the truly well-meaning people to get nearer to me, both to serve me and for me to be of service.

Have you ever struggled to love yourself enough to be yourself? Have you felt the constraints of tryign to be someone you aren’t? How’d it feel? If you ever broke out and shared your true self, what was the outcome?

Please share. Though unique to you, the information you acquired from that experience could free you and others. It’s more valuable than anything you could share about how to trick others into liking you.