Did you ever grow up feeling a bit like an outsider? I know
that I did, and in many ways I still do. But I’m here to tell you that although
it feels horrible it should not – and will not be the end of your world. As
cheesy as it sounds you need to beat to the sound of your own drum. When all is
said and done that’ll be the thing that you regret the most. Sure, you need to
push yourself in social situations so that you have people that can support you
and can make you feel good about yourself. But not everyone needs to like you,
some people just won’t and it is nothing to do with you or the type of person
you are.
Those people that really matter are the ones that will
support you – even in the toughest of times. I am lucky enough to have a few
select friends that I know will support me no matter what, and that make me
feel okay even when I am the furthest from okay.
At school I was never in the ‘cool group’ and found myself
flitting from group to group and never really fitting in. I remember wanting to
fit in so much that I would try to mould myself in to someone I wasn’t.
Although I had people around me, they weren’t all necessarily friends. I was
miserable, and lonely. It’s only as I have gotten older that I’ve found the
people who really appreciate me for me. I don’t have to mould myself to, or for
anyone.
I think another big factor in it is finding yourself, and
that takes time and patience. Even now I still don’t think that I am the person
that I want to be. I still have far more to grow, but whilst I’m on that
journey I’m still being true and honest to myself. When you start to do things
to please yourself, then I promise you that you will start to feel like a stronger
and more independent person.
I have a lot of big plans for more blog posts about this
theme and I’m going to be starting a new series very soon – so keep your eyes
peeled.
