The lion has always been revered for its strength and majesty as the king of the jungle, such that even in captivity, the roar of a lion can still send chills down anyone’s spine. A lion never alters itself to become a dog, or to have the bark of a dog just to please its captors. Neither does a monkey imitate the roar of a lion to garner the respect of other animals nor man, rather, it remains a playful, mischievous creature torturing even the most feral cats. These creatures never apologize for who or what they are, regardless of the situation they might find themselves in. if these lower beings can revel in their uniqueness and individual personalities, irrespective of the consequences, then you have absolutely no reason to hide yourself under a mask.
We all get into situations where we might be called upon to wear a mask over our personalities in order to blend in or impress some other individual. But after you have donned a mask and become someone you aren’t, how do you go on from there? What joy is there in achieving a feat under the disguise of someone you are not? There is more disappointment and discontent than euphoria in hiding yourself in order to please someone else.
You owe yourself the dignity of never apologizing for who you are. No one has the right to ask you to alter your personality in order for them to love or accept you. Anyone who asks such from you might just not understand you for who you are, and they probably do not deserve to have you around them if they can’t stand the real you. Changing yourself for the benefit of someone else will only leave you sad and disconcerted, cos you are under the pressure of being someone you are not. Added to this re-creation of a new persona is the dilemma of you having to get comfortable in the skin of a stranger.
Whenever you are faced with the option of having to hide your real self under a mask, in order to get the acceptance of someone or a group of people, you need to consider the repercussions. Are you willing to live with the misery that comes with trying to please others at the expense of yourself? And do you really have the strength to endure the charade you want to venture into? If you can answer these questions honestly, you would realize that being true to yourself is the greatest gift you can give to yourself and everyone else around you.
You can only be the best version of yourself by being the real you. Whatever remains after trying to become someone else or donning a mask to please someone else is never enough to reflect the awesomeness that is you. Remember, never hide who you are, to please others, you would only end up disappointing yourself. You deserve to live your life to the fullest, living strictly by your own terms and conditions, no one else’s.
