Be yourself.

“The easiest thing to be in the world is you. The most difficult thing to be is what other people want you to be. Don't let them put you in that position.” -  Leo Buscaglia.

There isn't a lot that makes me sadder than seeing people change who they are in an attempt to fit in with the crowd and/or be accepted. While I was at school, I let myself be bullied into trying to do so after being accused of copying someone else (contradictory, I know) and ended up being miserable. To top it off, the copycat accusations got worse. I couldn't win. I was in a lose-lose situation.

In the end, I was tired of pretending to be someone I'm not and started being myself. As I expected, I received a lot of backlash like I had before but this time, I persisted. I refused to back down and go back to pretending to be someone I'm not. Eventually, he backlash stopped. It took several months, though.

I refuse to limit my interests. I'm a meatlhead but I also adore make-up, nail polish and Hello Kitty along with so much more. So what? I know exactly who I am and what I like and if that makes me a freak, so be it. I refuse to change who I am to please other people.

Be yourself and nothing less. If the people in your life deserve to be in it, they'll accept you as you are. If not, that's their problem. Not yours.

Embrace who you are. There will never be another you in the world.