How well do you know yourself? Do you like who you are? In theory there should be no one in the world who knows us better than ourselves, but in practise, an awful lot of people pull the wool over their own eyes. They have a fixed idea of who they should be, and spend all their time and energy trying to convince themselves and others that that’s who they really are. But it doesn’t work, not really. Most of us have a pretty good radar for fakeness, and there’s nothing more offputting than someone who wears an assumed personality. At least, to me. I value honesty very highly, and that includes the way that people portray themselves to others. Besides, there’s a trust issue when you know that someone is behaving in an insincere way. Why can’t you trust me enough to be genuine around me?

Granted, we all try to project a better version of ourselves, especially around people we don’t know well. But how far do you let that extend? Are you so invested in that better version that you’ve forgotten who the real you underneath it is? I’ll guarantee you, the people who matter would much prefer it if you dropped all pretence, and were just you, authentic, sincere, genuine, flawed, human, YOU.

On a more frivolous level, this also applies to how we look. So many of us spend a great deal of energy, time, and money trying to change our appearance. Why?? You are who you are. No one else is like you, and you shouldn’t try to be like someone else. I wish that the media didn’t push such a narrow ideal onto girls, so that they think they have to squeeze themselves into this perfect mould to be attractive, acceptable even. Not that there’s very much we could do about the media. But as women, we can set the example for the girls growing up around us. If we learn to embrace the features that make us who we are, instead of struggling to compress them into a bland copycat version of some celebrity, then they might learn to enjoy their own uniqueness too.

If you have curls, let them run riot. If you have curves, rejoice in them. If you have a big nose, wear it with pride. If your teeth are crooked, smile for all the world to see. These things make you you. 

And that’s someone you should be proud to be.