Each time you choose authenticity over accommodation, you're rewiring your stress responses.
When was the last time you did something entirely for yourself?
I’ve been dabbling in my childhood interests lately, ranging anywhere from dance studio classes (side note: I was forced out of my will to do things I normally would do alone (aka individually strut across the room), with a group of people watching. It didn’t feel as liberating as I’m sure the teacher intended it to be, but I understood the vision and the thought process behind the activity.
I’ve found that putting yourself in uncomfortable situations — ones that require putting your pride, sense of control, and ego aside, while simultaneously attempting to disregard doing things for the sake of perfection — goes a long way.
The world doesn't need another perfectly palatable person. It needs you, in all your specific, untranslatable complexity.
The quiet thrill of not being for everyone is really the profound relief of finally being for yourself.
sea of fog — morning views on the way to the gym