I Admire People Who Are Not Afraid To Be Themselves

Aging a bit took care of a lot of self acceptance issues for me. I spent many years trying to please others: friends, boyfriends, parents, community, employers, colleagues, spouse, and children. I reinvented myself so many times I almost forgot who I was or wanted to be.

Now I respect the opinions of others and defend their right to have those opinions, but I will not change in order to win the approval of anyone.

That does not mean I have quit learning and changing. Nor does it mean I am unaware of my need to live within the norms of society. I am always open to change within myself and my role in the community at large is constantly shifting, but that change must be the result of my personal growth, not for someone else's convenience or comfort.

My unsolicited advice is to make this commitment to yourself now. There is no need to wait until you have a weak heart and bad eyes to be the person you want to be.