I have found that I have stopped caring, specifically, about the impression that I give people. There are people I have met who think I am fundamentally slow, mentally and physically because I am quiet. Then if you talk to anyone who has spent more than 5 minutes getting to know me you will find a completely different person depicted. I never go into meeting someone with the intention of catering or offering a specific impression. What people see is what people get.
I am sure there are places that this has bitten me in the backside, but at the same time there are places that it has been a benefit. My goal is to go into every situation with the most raw and real version of me that I have to offer. If I blend into the situation or group of people then we may see a relationship and continued success, if I don’t? Then it wasn’t for me.
Why should I bother with how people are going to view me if I can be unapologetically myself, and I know at the end of the day that I have held myself to my own standards. Remember that you do not owe anyone your time, opinions or value it is either given at cost or freely and that is a choice we get to make as individuals. I don’t want to force myself into a box so that people can satisfy their own biases or opinions just so that the interaction goes smoothly.
Life is simple: treat everyone with respect, expect it, but never demand it back. Cause no harm to others and be the kindest and realest version of yourself. Anyone else who wants you to fit a lock-step generally does not have anything but their own interests at heart, and that is something you do not need in your life. Life’s too short to worry about social opinions, be you and never apologize for it.
Arynuk 