Sometimes I wish I could be more like my role models. It’s easy to look at them and think that I’d be better capable of handling one or more aspects of my life if I had their patience, mindset, speaking ability, etc. However, when I look at somebody else, I only see a small fraction of who they are. I don’t see how they are when they’re alone, their inner thoughts, or anything else that they keep under lock and key. Even though some people seem to have it all figured out, everyone has some uncertainties and room for growth.
Further, I’m not here to be anybody else. I’m here to be myself and to fulfill my life purpose as only I can. Those who came before me focused on being who they were meant to be and now it’s my turn to do the same. I can still draw inspiration from Mister Rogers, Alan Watts, Jim Henson, and other people I admire, but I don’t want to lose sight of the things that make me unique and well-suited to turn my dreams into reality.
The people I admire most understand the importance of being yourself and loving yourself and keeping in mind the fact that you’re worthy of love just as you are. This is a big part of why I enjoy being around my closest friends and even consider some of them to be family: rather than trying to change me into somebody else, they accept me as I am and encourage me to do the same. I, in turn, do my best to treat others this way. The positive difference this makes in my interactions is clear when I manage to do it and it gets easier the more I practice it. I’m finding that the more I accept myself, the more comfortable other people feel being themselves around me. How would the world look if more people did this and gave others space to follow suit? Let’s find out.