Embrace who you are - don't dilute it
I listened to a fascinating episode of Kerry Lyon's 'The Imperfect Life Podcast' that inspired me to start writing this post as soon as I got in from my walk.
In it, she spoke about not diluting who you are for other people.
And that line just stopped me in my tracks on my walk. OH MY GOD, THIS IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN DOING.
It got me thinking about how we dilute ourselves, often to please other people (this is coming from a serial people pleaser in people-pleaser rehab btw).
But why do we do it? Fear of being weird, found out, too loud, too quiet. There must be a reason? The sad thing is, the more we dilute who we are for others, the more we aren't embracing who we are. And the less time we have to be our authentic selves. Living our life free of what other people think and feeling as free as a bird.
Life isn't an infinite thing. If this year has taught us anything, it's that. So why are we spending time watering down how amazing we are because we're worried about what someone else will think?
I don't want to be a watered-down Lindsey. I want to be a funny, caring, creative, hardworking gal who is a little bit weird. And I want to be her 100% of the time. The older I get, the more I realise that 'my people' are sticking around like glue, and those that fall by the wayside weren't, for whatever reason, my people. AND THAT'S OKAY.
Bit of a sidetrack, but bear with me. Often I listen to a sleep story on the Calm app (not sponsored, but if you're reading this Calm marketing team, I'm happy to be!) by LeVar Burton, and it's a story about the universe - 'Journey to the Stars.' I've never listened to the end of the story - a testament to his dulcet tones - but what it makes me realise is that it's an absolute miracle that we are here, on Earth, living as we are right now.
“The Earth is a wonderland of conditions for creatures like us - it’s just the right distance from the sun to support liquid water... Our atmosphere is a delicate balance of nitrogen and oxygen...trapping just the right amount of the sun’s energy creating an ideal setting for life to flourish.”
So we've established that it's a nigh-on miracle that Earth is actually functioning as a planet, and we are out there, diluting who we are FOR OTHER PEOPLE.
By diluting who we are, we're not embracing who we are - are you with me? I've done this more than I've realised in my life. I've done it with what I wear because I didn't think I was cool enough. Seriously - it took me three years to build up to buy Converse trainers. It's happened with how I do my hair, with my how I embrace my body.
I can't say that I have got this right up to this point. I've spent a very long time not embracing who I am, but I think at the grand old age of 36, I might be starting to figure it out.
I can probably help…
If this article has resonated with you then maybe we should talk. I’d love to hear about what you want to start, or maybe what you’re hesitant to. Drop me an email or a DM and have a look here at how we can work together.
