Be Yourself

The title of the post, is something that I've discovered to be much easier said than done... To be perfectly honest, it is something that I've struggled with over the years. Even to this day, I have to remind myself to well, just be myself. It's easy to adapt to your surroundings and emulate those you surround yourself with. Becoming a chameleon, or wallflower so you don't have to decide who you want to be is another option (this is never my go to)... or on the other end of the spectrum creating a larger than life personality that outshines so many different attributes of the real you. 

Over the past few weeks, I've had a handful of people (friends, colleagues, acquaintances, who all have a completely objective view of me) inform me that something has changed about me, and they like this version of Emily better (actually, a lot of them have used the phrase "old self"). At first I was completely baffled and slightly hurt by their unsolicited opinion(s)... but then after this subject kept coming up with different people, I realized  that they are all correct. Something has changed. I'm not only being myself, but I'm loving who that is turning out to be. 

I've been trying to put my finger on the catalyst, and I have a couple ideas what might have prompted a change, but when it comes down to it--it wasn't someone or something--but the ultimate change was within myself. The something that has given me insurmountable confidence, renewed my ambition, made me wake up each and every day with a huge smile, excited and thankful, to be alive. 

Thanks for letting me share this newfound or renewed happiness and confidence with all of you. I know it's much more personal than I normally blog about. But, it was on my heart...and since I have the propensity to wear my heart on my sleeve... I figured why not!  

Happy Thursday & Thanks for reading!