Unapologetically Me?

Oh hi, didn’t see you there. Welcome back. I’m Paul, the blogger of this blog. However, I did not write the following post. 

C’est vrai. This post was written by my friend, Neetu. She is not a blogger, so be nice. Or you can be mean. But if you mess with her, you mess with me. And we all know that I’m as menacing as a snowman, so you should probably behave yourselves.

I hope you enjoy this post as much I did when Neetu sent it to me. As always, feel free to leave your thoughts below. Enjoy.

So, I know Paul…not virtually, physically!

Once upon a time, I walked into work at camp and met this guy named Paul, and we instantly became friends. It was one of those effortless friendships. He cracked a joke, I laughed, the end!

When Paul told me of his blog, I’ll admit, I was shocked! Paul? With a blog? It made no sense to me!

But then I started reading his posts.

And then it made no sense to me that I would think it made no sense! Does that make sense?

He once told me that if I wanted, I could write a guest post, and of course I said yes!

I have been working on this guest blog post for a while now, constantly typing something, constantly deleting it.

You know, most non-bloggers don’t really understand how hard it is.

I would know…I am one.

We see it as though, here is a topic, and here is what was written. But it is so much more than that. So much more heart that goes into what is said and why that blogger chose to say it. So much courage that goes into exposing yourself and writing a piece that hits close to home, to being open, and honest, to millions of strangers out there.

So to all you bloggers out there, I salute you!

I have wondered what I wanted to write for so long, and I truly mean months and months! I wanted to write something from the heart, something unplanned, something that isn’t pushed and comes effortlessly, but it never came. And that’s when I knew that it had to be something spontaneous. Keep it unplanned and run with it.

So this is me, sprinting!

Being vulnerable has become a lost art. Being raw, and open and unapologetically yourself is something that is unfortunately so rare. (Of course, tell me if I am wrong).

But I just don’t see it anymore.

The idea of being someone whose opinions differ?

To be someone who isn’t afraid to have an outstanding viewpoint on a matter and to voice it?

To look different?

To feel different, but more importantly, be okay with it?

Why aren’t we more comfortable with that? Isn’t it a little messed up that THAT isn’t our normal?

I have seen so much bandwagon-ing, so much trending, so many looks copied lately! And not to say there is something wrong with it, hell, I am guilty of some of these things as well!

But why is this something that happens so much? Why do we swarm like a school of fish towards an idea that isn’t our own? Why is it so important to be a part of something that we see so many others be a part of? Why is it that our own ideas don’t make us feel as comfortable and complete as being a part of others do?

I am saying all this, but I know that I am guilty of it as well, and maybe that’s why I chose to post this. I have grown up being surrounded by so many beautiful people who love me so deeply! I truly am so blessed and thankful for it!

I really shouldn’t have that feeling where I feel like I am a little trapped. But it happens, to all of us, I know it! Despite coming from a place where I know I have a voice, there are times where I feel like I don’t!

There are times where I feel as though I will say or do things because I know it will make those I love happy, not realizing how much that takes away from my own happiness. Thoughts, Ideas, Opinions, are all subconsciously influenced BY MYSELF to make sure that they make those around me happy.

But why do we do that?

What is so frightening about being so authentically you?

I guess what I am trying to say is that since I have been attempting to write this post, so many thoughts have come into my mind.

“I want to be liked by the readers!”

“I am scared, what if someone thinks what I wrote is silly?”

“Does it sound like I am trying too hard?”

“Is what I am saying something everyone already knows and there isn’t a point in writing it?”

But that’s exactly the problem…Who cares, right? That is the point to being you, isn’t it? To not give a @$#* about putting something out there for others to see and read, and to give a lot of @$#* about putting something out there for you? Regardless of the response you get?

From my experience, everyone in this world will be loved and will be hated, for reasons we may or may not be able to explain. Everyone will experience that! I know I have! I know Paul has! (actually that may be a lie, everyone loves Paul -_-).

But the point is, that’s okay, right?

It is okay that my opinions differ from those I love. It is okay that I feel differently than everyone else. It is okay that I am not following this trend, or that look. It is okay that I am the oddball out! I want to start being a little more me and a little less you!

So to everyone out there…Be Kind, Be Brave, Be You!