collage by me. all photos from teen vogue and seventeen magazine.

Fitting in is important to our species i.e. Teen Human Being. Fitting in shouldn’t be important because fitting in fails our needs.

People say they want to meet new people. They know people that are like them, people that like the things they like or do the things they do, and if that was enough, they wouldn’t WANT to meet new people.

Be yourself. Don’t hide that special part of you. It is your secret ingredient, your shazam, in hiding.

It’s hard not to hide your maddening obsession of Doctor Spencer Reid or your love of vegetarian cookbooks. It’s hard not to worry about fitting in with your friends or the new crowd you want to hang out with.

Last year, I started mingling with a new group of people. I wanted them to like me, so I started immersing myself in all the books and music they liked, and none of the ones I did. I gained a couple of new interests, but I should have been myself. I would’ve had more fun if we had traded interests mutually.

When you aren’t being completely yourself, the friendship won’t feel solid.

It’s okay, even fun and exhilarating, to be yourself. This year, I mingled with another group of people and this time I was upfront about my interests, and what I do and don’t like to do. It’s amazing what you can connect over even if you don’t like the same things. And over time, I had them reading my favorite books and they had me listening to rap music that I swore I would hate for the rest of my life.

Plus, being yourself leads into the Golden Rule of Self Confidence. Uniqueness + Being Comfortable with that Uniqueness = Irresistible Self-Confidence. Being okay with yourself translates to everyone around you and testifies to your awesomeness.

That’s what makes life so interesting.

optimistic pep talk giver of the day,
sweeteelou