A friend once told me that I was a great pretender. He didn't mean it as an insult but it wasn't a compliment either. I believe he just called me out on it to make me stop and ponder on what I'm doing.
This little incident happened back when I was still a teenager - some time after high school, I believe. Admittedly, my friend was spot-on about it.
When I was still young, acceptance from my peers, and from society in general, was very important to me. I struggled to keep myself updated with all of the things that were popular; I forced myself to like the things that I don't really show interest in; I did stuff that I don't normally do and don't even like; All for the sake of fitting-in.
I remember that day very clearly since it had become one of the most important events in my life. It was a bright, sunny afternoon. It was at the mall near our school. I was eating snacks with some friends who I was trying really hard to impress. The topic was sports. People who know me knows that I'm not athletic. On that day, however, nobody knew for sure and I wanted to make people believe that I was so that I could be "in." Surprisingly, I pulled it off. I fooled the people around me... well, except for this single friend. He saw through my ruse and he called me out on it with a smirk. That made me stop. He did it correctly though since I didn't get offended nor humiliated.
What he did struck me hard. Since then I no longer pretend to be someone I'm not just to get the approval of the people around me. I have had a few slip-ups every now and then when I'm caught off guard but I make sure that I don't follow it through. Maybe this is also the very reason why I only keep a small circle of friends. I keep only those who accepted me for who I am.
So far, I believe I have made the right choice. I haven't really thanked that friend for what he did so this is why I'm posting this. I'm just going to thank him by paying it forward.
Now, this one is for you, my other friend. I think you know who you are.
I know you are putting on a mask to get the approval of people that you think is important in your life. I suggest you stop for a while and think about what you are doing. I can see through your ruse and I'm calling you out on it.
This little incident happened back when I was still a teenager - some time after high school, I believe. Admittedly, my friend was spot-on about it.
When I was still young, acceptance from my peers, and from society in general, was very important to me. I struggled to keep myself updated with all of the things that were popular; I forced myself to like the things that I don't really show interest in; I did stuff that I don't normally do and don't even like; All for the sake of fitting-in.
I remember that day very clearly since it had become one of the most important events in my life. It was a bright, sunny afternoon. It was at the mall near our school. I was eating snacks with some friends who I was trying really hard to impress. The topic was sports. People who know me knows that I'm not athletic. On that day, however, nobody knew for sure and I wanted to make people believe that I was so that I could be "in." Surprisingly, I pulled it off. I fooled the people around me... well, except for this single friend. He saw through my ruse and he called me out on it with a smirk. That made me stop. He did it correctly though since I didn't get offended nor humiliated.
What he did struck me hard. Since then I no longer pretend to be someone I'm not just to get the approval of the people around me. I have had a few slip-ups every now and then when I'm caught off guard but I make sure that I don't follow it through. Maybe this is also the very reason why I only keep a small circle of friends. I keep only those who accepted me for who I am.
So far, I believe I have made the right choice. I haven't really thanked that friend for what he did so this is why I'm posting this. I'm just going to thank him by paying it forward.
Now, this one is for you, my other friend. I think you know who you are.
I know you are putting on a mask to get the approval of people that you think is important in your life. I suggest you stop for a while and think about what you are doing. I can see through your ruse and I'm calling you out on it.
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