If there is anything that I have learned within the last year, it's to be yourself. The real you. The "who you are when know one is looking" self. I hate when I see people too afraid to be themselves because they are afraid others will judge, or change their minds about them, etc. There is so much hiding behind the curtain that is waiting to come out, it's sad to see that some people can't show that. I say this because I used to be one of them.
I lived for others. I put everyone else in front of my own needs, which isn't always a bad thing, but you need to make time for yourself, and make sure your happy. I would do things for others in place of taking the time to take care of what I needed to do. There is no point in trying to make other people happy if it's only going to make you miserable. You'll end up wearing yourself thin, It's impossible to please everyone, because no matter what, someone, somewhere is not going to like it. But guess what? That's fine, as long as YOU are making yourself happy. So that's what I did. & I feel like I've already moved mountains. I set aside everyone else's thoughts & just stopped caring. I'm not saying to stop caring about the people around you, I LOVE the people in my life, I care about them & I'd do anything for a lot of them. I stopped caring what other people "would think" of me if I did what I wanted to do in order to make me happy. I've lost some friends, I've gained others. But the most important thing is I'm happier now than I was a year ago. The friends that stick by you are the ones who truly care about you and are who you need to surround yourself with.
Living to please others and just a waste of time, your time, precious time. Time that you could be doing something you love, or something that makes you who you are. I used to be one of the girls who got dressed up for class and dolled up with make up. Then one day I realized that's not the person I am when know ones looking. I HATE caking make up on my face & I think most people are prettier without it. I wear sweatpants or yogas to school....everyday. My hair is tied up in a pony tail the majority of the time. I'll wear jeans on fridays or the weekends, don't get me wrong I like to look cute. I just have other things to do than spend half the day looking at myself in the mirror. Up until recently I used to stress out about what other people thought....not just about the way I looked, but about every little move I made. Now...I just don't care. I don't do or say all the right things all the time, but in the end I'm doing what makes ME happy.
The greatest thing about life is that tomorrows a new day. A new day to be yourself, the person you are when there isn't any pressure to be anyone other than you. If you can sit down at the end of the day & say you stayed true to yourself, I'd say that's a pretty great feeling.
No one can do a better job at being you, than you.