The parts of us that people see impacts how we are perceived. This fragmented reality, based on imperfect moments, is inherently flawed. It is never a complete picture of who we really are.
Our true and authentic selves reside inside us, rarely observed, and never fully expressed. We are a version of the person others see, but also the person who is there in the silence, when no one is watching.
Our internal world is vast, complex, nuanced, and ever evolving. It is where we keep our secrets and our vulnerabilities, our hopes, and our dreams. It can be the safest place, or where our doubts and fears take hold.
Our external world is the curated space we hold for others. The visible parts of us are a mosaic that looks different from all angles. We are a character in many stories, even our own. Each one is different and unique. In some we are the hero, and in others, the villain. No one sees us the same.
Our identity is a picture inside a picture. We are the different reflections in a house of mirrors. There isn’t one version. There is no absolute. There isn’t even a debatable truth.
We can’t let the let weight of the past, or someone else’s opinions or expectations hold us back, or pull us down. We are allowed to learn, grow, give ourselves grace, evolve, and move on. We shouldn’t let fleeting impressions and moments in time become a story we also start to believe.
Our story has a beginning and an end. It is up to us to make the most of everything in between—as perfectly imperfect as it may be.
There will never be another you—ever. You are a never-to-be-repeated miracle. May the misunderstood, misrepresented and misinterpreted versions be vanquished, and the truest parts be set free 🦋